In the Blink of an Eye
by abfirechick
Summary: When an accident turns into a life and death rescue, will Johnny lose what matters most to him? It will take all of Station 51 and the Rampart staff to save two of the department's bravest. Helpful to read my first 3 stories first. PLEASE leave reviews!
1. Chapter 1

In the Blink of an Eye

An Emergency Fan Fiction

By abfirechick

Research by Marion Welsh

Chapter 1

This was yet another beautiful day in sunny, southern California. The men at Station 51 were having a typical day, which for them meant a flurry of calls. Some were real emergencies, many were not. That was typical not just for LACoFD but any fire department. Well today had been one of those _crap call_ marathons. The kind where they wanted to throttle some of the supposed victims, for tying them up on nonsense calls.

"Hey Johnny, are you going to the game on Saturday?" Roy asked because their team wasn't playing. It was going to be another team with in the department.

"Yeah, I have too! A.J. is playing, after the ragging I gave her about _girls_ playing softball...well it would be in my best interest!" The infamous Gage grin followed his reply.

"You are a brave man, indeed! You do realize that if she were so inclined she could take you?!" The imagine had Roy in a fit of giggles.

"That's half the fun, my friend! One has to live dangerously!"

"You don't get your fill of that here?" Roy had never known his partner to be so happy in his personal life. It was a refreshing sight to see. To himself he thought, "Now taking care of him can be a part time job!" Partners share a bond, with these two paramedics it went way beyond that.

Further discussion of the weekend would have to wait as the familiar sound of the Klaxons sounded. "Station 51 for an industrial accident, with possible entrapment. Stevens and Industrial Way, time out, 17:53."

The men all ran to their respective apparatus. Captain Stanley first responded back to County that Station 51 would be responding.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

As the engine and squad pulled out of the station and drove down the street, each of the men recalled the last incident at the industrial park. A little less two years ago their lives had forever been changed. The first female rescue paramedic had entered the department. A.J. Whitewolf had trained and been certified under Gage and DeSoto. Then one fateful night she had proven herself to every fireman present. She had fallen two stories, while trying to rescue a little girl. GOD himself had supplied a miracle and she had survived.

Of course that warehouse should have been torn down years ago but the project had never been completed. Captain Stanley got additional information from County as they were approaching the building. There was a demolition crew there trying to _safely_ tear down the huge warehouse. One of the obvious issues what the stability of the structure. The damage done to it was extensive after the blaze and time hadn't helped the matter any.

One of the men working was on the outside estimating the damage and integrity of the exterior wall. His question was answered all too quickly when parts of the massive wall came crashing down upon him.

Another worker ran up to Captain Stanley before the engine had even come to a complete stop he was shouting, "Danny is under there! He was talking to us, he's ALIVE. What are you waiting for, HELP him!"

"Sir, listen to me, you have to calm down! We are going to do everything we can but you have to give me some more information." Stanley knew that people in these situations could be overcome by their emotions.

"He's over here. He was standing RIGHT there!"

"Alright, now you can help us out by making sure everyone else moves to the end of the driveway. We can't help Danny if you are in danger." His experience told him that giving civilians a job to do, keeps their minds occupied and hopefully out of the way.

Walking up to the debris pile it was clear that the objects that had fallen were large pieces of lumber. That was what saved Danny from instant death. The wood had created a tent effect. Danny must have been trapped in the void space. That didn't mean that he wasn't severely injured.

Since the lumber was too heavy for the men to lift on their own they used rope rigging to take maneuver it and create shoring, allowing the crew to move the smaller pieces that were surrounding the victim. Gage and DeSoto were with the patient through it all, trying to assess his injures and find out if he was impaled by any of the objects.

The men worked as a well oiled machine. The man was released from his prison and moved to a safe location by the squad. His was semiconscious and in a great deal of pain. Gage contacted Rampart and Roy began his routine of checking vitals, for gross bleeding and other specific injures.

"Rampart this is Squad 51..."


	3. Chapter 3

It was about 03:00 hours and the crew at Station 110 were fast asleep. They had had a busy day calls, cats in trees, automatic alarms, etc. These kinds of calls are welcome in moderation. However when they fill up almost an entire shift, time creeps by like molasses in winter time. The men were soundly asleep, however A.J. was not. She was tossing around, in the middle of a reoccurring dream.

It was the same as it had been off and on for two weeks. The dream occurred only when she was on shift. It always began with her partner and herself in the squad truck. They were coming back from a call. She knew it they weren't responding because they weren't using lights or sirens. It was a narrow dirt road, there were trees all around. Then a car comes out of now where and Brice steers frantically trying to gain control and avoid the oncoming vehicle. There is a feeling of doom.

She bolted up in her bunk in a cold sweat. The dream could have meant anything, simply derived from stress or an unaddressed fear. Something inside A.J. was afraid it was something more. Her Sioux grandmother had told her parents when she was quite young that Wolfie had the 'gift'. Her predictions had come true on different occasions. When her mother's brother had been killed in a car accident, she dreamed about it the night before. There were a few other situations over the years that she had also dreamt about. It was random, sometimes it happened and other times, nothing. Was this a warning? Even if it was, what could I possibly do to change any of it?

She thought to herself, "I am not going to mention this to anyone, especially Johnny. It's probably nothing more than just an outlet for my mind. After all we deal with life and death every day. Besides, there are much happier things to focus on, like the game on Saturday. Then Johnny can see exactly how a _girl_ can play softball!"


	4. Chapter 4

The LACoFD team was behind by 3 in the 9th inning and was batting last. They were playing the Sheriff's Department. These teams' playing each other was always interesting. They was a friendly rivalry between the two departments. The team that Gage and DeSoto played on had lost their last game to some of the deputies. A.J. was determined to win this one and show her boyfriend who was the best ball player.

The other day Gage rambled on about how a woman couldn't play softball as well as a man. She knew he was goading her. If for one second she believed he really had that attitude she would have never agreed to go out with him almost a year ago.

A.J. was up to bat. "If I can at least make a single, we have a shot at winning." Looking up at the score board, she confirmed that they there were no outs in this inning yet.

The pitcher was one of those ignorant asses that thought that women couldn't be cops much less firefighters. Although he never had the guts to tell that to her face, it was written all over his whenever he saw her. She knew to watch his pitches because he was known to throw hard and close, not always by accident.

The first pitch and second pitch that came in were balls. The pitcher's body language showed that he was none too happy about that. Of all the players today he wanted to show this one a thing or two.

The third one came in fast and inside the plate. A.J. moved as quickly as she could trying to get out of its way. Unfortunately it still slammed into her shin. The pain that followed was searing and numbing at the same time, as it ebbed across her entire lower leg. As badly as she wanted to curse and cry out she wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Plus the bleachers were loaded with several paramedics, one of which was Johnny. Normally he would have allowed her the dignity of not treating her as a damsel in distress, however if she went down, all bets were off. She would react the same way if the roles were reversed.

"Are you alright?" Both the Catcher and Umpire were asking. She was grateful for disapproving stare that was aimed at his team mate.

"Yeah, just my wounded pride." She answered them with a forced grin. She didn't dare glance behind her into the stands. Johnny would read her like a book, or perhaps because he would have seen the same look in his own mirror. If there was one thing they had in common, besides their jobs, was that neither one of them were keen on admitting when they were hurt or in pain. Roy often joked that they were peas in a pod, in that respect.

When a player is hit with a ball like that, it is an automatic walk to first base. When she got there Davidson, who was first base coach asked her if she wanted a replacement runner. "Hell no! I am going all the way around!" He ran with her at the 110 and he knew better than to talk her out of it. She never backed down from a challenge. He could have decked the pitcher; he was certain that was intentional.

Craig Brice was up next to bat. This was the first season he had played on the team. A.J. had convinced him to loosen up a little. He stepped up to the plate and nailed it into far right field. She pushed herself off of first base and ran like the wind. The ball was fumbled and she made it to third base, with Brice on second. Then Davidson hit a single and the bases were loaded. The next batter was Captain Morgan; on his first swing he knocked it over the wall, home run! Game over!

After the courtesy line between the two teams, A.J. started to limp back to the dug out, ever so slightly. If she had any chance of not making it a _big deal_, it was smashed when she saw Dr. Brackett, Dixie and her uncle Joe in bleachers with Johnny and Roy.

"Sit down and let me look at that." Dr. Joe knew his nieces stubbornness all too well.

"It's fine, really. It will leave a little mark, I've have worse." She tried in vain not to wince when he started palpating it.

"I'll go get some ice." Roy made a face when he saw the rather large multicolored bruise that was forming across the front of her calf.

"So Johnny, what do you think of girls playing softball now?" Her melodramatic angry face made him laugh out loud.

"Would you me rather admit I was wrong or let me kiss the pain away?"

Well, as far as she was concerned that was a no brainier.


	5. Chapter 5

After the game the rest of Stations 51 and 110 gathered at the picnic grounds at the ball field. Some of them had not been able to make the game but came for the food and friendship. Another league now had the field and they could watch it from the pavilion if they wanted to.

A.J. was sitting with her leg on one of the benches. She had conceded and allowed Johnny to get her a plate of food. Despite the aspirin she had taken her leg was still throbbing with every heart beat.

The rest of the men and their better halves were circled around her, so everyone could participate in any conversation. Johnny came back with some great smelling grub. As she ate she listened to the several different conversations, taking in once again how blessed she was. She was a part of this extended family, and was in a fantastic relationship. She was constantly amazed at how much she trusted in that love.

After she was eating, she gingerly began to lift her leg off the bench. It wasn't throbbing as much and was now getting a little stiff. Before she could stand up Gage stopped what he was saying, "What do you think you are doing?"

"I'm just gonna stretch my leg out a little." She was attempting to be discreet. She had already drank three glasses of ice tea.

"I'll get you what ever you need! I'll go with you!" Roy was the only one who wasn't taken aback by Johnny's dotting over her. Most of the others didn't get to see the two of the together very often.

"Look Hon, I love ya but I really don't think you want to follow me into the ladies room!" So much for having any discretion.

Before Johnny could set down, he saw a very attractive woman walking up to him. "Excuse me can you give me directions? I'm not from around here."

Chet Kelly was both watching the lovely woman and how Gage was interacting with her. "I can't believe it, he's flirty with her! Wow, I can't wait to give Wolfie this little bit of information!" He was excited about stirring up some trouble. The icing on the cake was when Gage stared at certain body parts as she walked away.

"GAGE! She's only been gone for a few minutes and your all over another woman!" Chet started in on him. Since this had the potential of being a three ring circus, many of the others stopped to hear what Kelly was talking about.

"I WASN'T all over her! I just happen to notice that she had a nice figure. What is the big deal, anyway?"

"Man, if you don't know that by now Gage, you really are hopeless."

"What are you talking about?" A.J. asks as she is limping back to the table.

"You should have seen him Wolfie, your gone for two seconds and Mr. Smooth here was a bad boy!" Chet was loving this a little too much.

"Were you flirting with that blond with the nice rack that just walked away from here?" She asked Johnny with a smile.

Returning her smile Johnny says, "She just wanted directions."

Chet is quite confused how this backfired on him. "Your not upset about it?"

"Why should I be? Did he grope her in anyway?"

"Well no...but..."

"Then what would be the problem?"

"Well he was flirting and..."

"Was what being Johnny? Chet, he is a natural born flirt. It's part of his DNA. Just because he's in love, doesn't mean he went blind!" That statement was followed by multiple sources of laughter. "As long as he comes home with me!" She found the look on Kelly's face amusing.

"Well what would happen if he did _touch_ her or another girl?"

"That's easy...I would call Roy."

"Why would you call me?" Now his curiosity was peaked.

She started sitting back down and threw her arm around Johnny's shoulders, then finished with a wicked grin, "Because if he did that...he'd need a paramedic!!"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Since the Phantom's plans for discord were thwarted at last week's game, he was concocting a new bag of new tricks for his pigeon. This shift had been busier than some and filled with actual emergencies.

The men were all in the kitchen eating lunch, which was a delight since it was Marco doing the cooking. It was his is favorite to make and theirs to eat, chili. Each of them was just glad that with the responses, they had the lull to eat anything. Too many shifts, eating only came after 8 o'clock the next morning.

"Johnny, how is Wolfie? I guess it was good that she wasn't on shift for two days after wards." Marco could still picture the nasty bruise.

"It's still rather grotesque looking. All the swelling is gone though. She wouldn't have taken the next shift off, either way." Gage had almost undetectable smile on his face, just thinking of her. The only thing that kept him from leaping of the bleachers and over to her that day was the knowledge that she would have reamed him a new one for doing it. Which he really couldn't blame her for, if it were him he would feel the same way.

"I heard it crack when it hit! I thought for sure her leg was going to go out from under her." Roy recalled.

"I have to admit, you two really do look great together." Captain Stanley had been very found of A.J. since her temporary assignment at Station 51.

After everyone was finished eating, Mike Stoker had just started doing the dishes when the tones sounded off once again.

"Squad 51, Laramie and Oak Streets, a person struck by a car."

The rest of them continued their cleaning duties while Gage and DeSoto headed out for the squad. This wasn't usual, 51 was a busy station, however a good portion of those calls were solely medical in nature.

A few minutes later a second dispatch sounded. "Engine 51, Squad 110, respond to Canyon River Road for a MVA (motor vehicle accident), cross street Dry Bed Road." When a cross street is given it doesn't necessarily mean that the location is directly at that intersection. This is almost always the case in rural areas, especially. It could be miles in between the vague address given.

Captain Stanley responded to County and at Station 110 Captain Morgan was doing the same for his squad. Both crews made their way the out of the way location on the outskirts of 51's running area. It was always on the back of any crews mind just how far away any medical help was, other than the initial care of the paramedics.

The engine arrived just a head of the squad. Stanley quickly sized up the seen. Apparently, it must have been a passerby who called in the accident because no one was there to greet them. A car was off the road, partially down the embankment off the road. Luckily for them they 'choose' to drive down on of the less steep locations along the mountainous road.

Stanley assigned each man a task. They had to tie off of the eyelets on the front of the engine, and then take lines down so the paramedics could assess the patients and the engine could figure out how to raise the vehicle back to the road so a tow truck could load it up and take it away.

Brice and Wolfie headed down with basic equipment, which of course included the bio phone. When they reached the car, they were pleasantly surprised to see both people conscious and alert. There were no major injuries that could be seen from outside the car. The man and woman were preoccupied with screaming at each other.

"I know my way out here, dear! I'm not lost!" The woman's voice was dripping with sarcasm and a 'little' rage.

"You wanted me to nail that deer head on instead?" The man seemed to be at his wit's end with her.

If you would have paid attention to the ROAD, you would have seen it a mile away!" The paramedics exchanged rolled eyes between them.

"Maybe, if you would quit channeling your mother, I would be able to pay attention to the ROAD!" The man was no longer pulling any punches.

Interrupting the accusations, A.J. asks, "Are either one of you hurt?"

The couple spun their heads to look at the paramedics. They hadn't even noticed that they were no longer alone. "NO, we just didn't want the car to keep rolling down the slope! Someone said they were calling for help. What took you so long, anyway?" The woman had found someone to rag on.

"We are here now ma'am. So neither one of you is in any pain? Just to be on the safe side, my partner and I are going to ask you some questions." Wolfie would have loved to give them a piece of her mind but of course that wouldn't be the smart option.

Since the couple only suffered some bumps and bruises it was a lot easier to get them to the roadside. They used the ropes to create some harnesses and simply walked them up top. While they were getting the rigging together the man had lit a cigarette. When Brice asked him to put it out, he thought he saw him go to snuff it out on the ground. Instead the idiot threw the burning cigarette out past the vehicle. Anytime of the year this would be a moronic move but at in August, at the height of the wildfire season, it was a potential disaster waiting to happen.

Back on the road the couple both signed waivers saying they were refusing medical treatment and transport to the hospital. By that time one of the sheriff's deputies was on location and was going to give them a ride back.

A.J. and Brice had reloaded their equipment when she asked Stanley, "Do you need us to help you out with anything, Cap?" She loved working with her guys at 51.

"No, we're fine here. Just have wrap up the rope gear. I think the boys can manage that on their own." Stanley gave her warm smile.

Before she was even back at the Squad Brice was already informing County that they were returning and available. She was still the only one he showed his true colors to, no else could really comprehend how much fun he could be to work with. Not that he still couldn't drive her a little nuts now and again.

They were only a short distance down the road, when Stanley was contacting County, "We have a small brush fire started here, Engine 51, time out 45 minutes."

A.J. picked up the mic and asked, "Engine 51 from Squad 110..."

"Go a head Squad 110"

"Do you need us to there, Cap.? We're only a mile away."

"No thanks, it hasn't covered much area. The wind shouldn't be a problem."

"10-4 Engine 51." A.J. had this churning feeling in her stomach. She looked around at the scenery as they continued back to their station. "Why does this seem familiar?"


	7. Chapter 7

The churning in her stomach did not make any sense; it started out of the blue when they went returning. She had just eaten, it was her turn to cook and she brought in some beef vegetable soup she had made herself.

It was several miles of mountain scenery till they would reach the edge of town so she tried in vain to relax and enjoy it. She was born and raised on a farm in Pennsylvania and then spent summers on a ranch with her paternal grandparents on the reservation. She was never comfortable in the city or even larger towns.

Then she saw a mustang on the upper side of the mountain, it was almost as if it were watching her. At that moment she flashed back to a lesson that her Sioux Grandfather had taught her.

_He was telling her about animals and what lessons they could teach and how they could represent phases in our lives. _

_"Lala, what does the mustang represent?" When on the reservation, she mostly spoke only in Lakota._

_"It can represent dangers that are laying a head. The animals can speak to us if we are open to hear them, Winona." That was a nick name that her grandparents often used, translated it meant 'first born daughter._

In a rush of memories and realization, it came to her. This is my dream...instantly her entire body was tingly, with the adrenaline that began coursing through her veins. She began watching the road intently to see if she could notice any other oncoming vehicles on the road. What was she going to tell Brice, exactly? That he should stop the squad and do a Chinese fire drill on a narrow dirt road? When he asked why, her best answer would be, because I've dreamed it before? Oh, and it was confirmed by a horse! She had gained his respect but who was she kidding, he would probably ask Rampart to make the rubber room nice and comfy for her.

They were on the outside of a bend in the road, when all her fears were acknowledged. Seemingly out of no where appeared this little convertible and it were coming straight for them, driving in the wrong lane! Brice had few options open to him. If he steered left he would plow head on into the side of the mountain. The road was barely wide enough for two normal sized vehicles and the squad was wider across. Going to the right of the vehicle had its own risks, the road dropped off steeply. However it was the only chance of avoiding a head on collision with the car.

In a state of shock himself, Brice cranked the steering wheel to the right, hoping that at the last second the other car would swerve the opposite direction, giving him the room to maneuver around it. Not only did that not happen, the driver actually kept swerving in and out of their path!

Then both of them felt the tires spin when the ground under them shifted, the passenger side tires were balancing on the very edge of the roadway. The dirt underneath began to crumble under the extreme weight of the truck. This all occurred in less than a minute, though in seemed to last for an eternity.

Both partners glanced at each other as if saying goodbye. Their eyes met as the apparatus left the roadway and began its deadly decent down the 30 foot drop of the cliff.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

As the squad left the road, for a short time it was air borne. It was the strangest feeling. The same thoughts crossed her mind in this instance as it did at the warehouse fire. The same feeling of complete freedom intermixed with terror. She didn't fear death, it was rather the alternative. When they impacted the ground, it wouldn't be a soft landing. If they survived, there would be to say the least a great deal of pain. The imagine of their twisted mangled bodies wasn't giving either paramedic any comfort.

The fall probably lasted maybe a couple of minutes at that. However in these situations, it always seems much longer to those involved. The whole time they gripped each others hands hoping to give the other some amount of comfort.

The images of her loved ones at her funeral brought a great sorrow to A.J.

_Her mom was the one who answers the phone when Joe calls to them that their little girl has died. She collapses and my father comes and picks up the phone and it told the same thing. They both will fly out to be with me and Joe._

_My grandparents will all come out as well. Each pair of them will have prayers and ceremonies for me. _

_Then there are my guys and especially, my Johnny, Tehila (lover). He and Roy will most likely be the rescue team that comes out. My poor Johnny, GOD be with him. The rest of them will take it hard to, she knew she was loved. That knowledge didn't make it any easier._

As those thoughts subsided, she could see the earth rushing up to greet the squad and their world went black.

--

Gage and DeSoto were on their way back to Rampart after treating a heart attack victim on a vehicle accident scene. Johnny was riding in the back of the ambulance transporting the man. Suddenly he had this feeling of fear and worry but he somehow knew it wasn't for himself.

The ambulance attendant in the back with him watched him curiously. He seemed to notice that something about Gage wasn't right. "Johnny...you alright? You look like you just saw a ghost!"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It must be motion sickness from the way that partner of yours drives!" He laughed in an attempt to hide his apprehension.

He couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The squad truck was slowed down, marginally by the small trees and foliage that were mowed over by the excellerating vehicle. Once it reached the bottom of the revene it's nose was partially embedded into the soil. Then the weight of it's body was too much to keep it upright. With one last protest it fell upside on with a groan that should have echoed through the canyon.

The darkness was welcome. Both of them had blacked out before the sudden stop. The situation was dire indeed. Even if they both were alive, no one would have any idea of where to find them or even realize that they were missing. To make things worse it was almost nightfall.

The pain seeped through the blanket of nothingness that had enveloped her. Slowly she became aware of her surroundings. At first she wasn't sure where she was or what had happened. Then like the shards of glass all around them, slivers of her memory was returning.

"Thank GOD that we were wearing our seat belts" Was the first thought that ran through her mind.

"Craig?" She it took her breath away, literally, to try and look at him. He was unresponsive but had a strong pulse. "Can you hear me?" The pain racing through her body told her that among other things, she had a fractured sternum. She gingerly moved the parts of her whole body, to see what her other injuries might be. She knew she couldn't save her partner, if she ended up collapsing.

The list included, broken ribs, right hip pain, her head and of course her sternum. She was more pain than she had ever experienced before. She knew she had to find a way of making it over to the driver's side, so she could assess him to get an idea of what she was up against.

Saying a prayer of strength she managed to cut off her seat belt. Then with plenty sighs and grimacing she pulled and crawled her way to her partner. She thought ahead and as she was making her way around the truck she found what supplies she could to treat him. Some of it came flying out of the squad when it landed. However the drug and trauma boxes were intact. Part of her was afraid that it might catch fire. So she needed to secure whatever supplies she could before that happened.

Approaching the driver's side she could see that he was regaining consciousness, slowly but surely. "Craig, can you hear me? Easy, easy, take it slow. Try not to move. I want to check you out first." It didn't take a paramedic's insight to see that his left arm and leg were broken.

"A.J.? Are you alright? Oh my GOD, I am so sorry, this is all my fault!" Exactly what had happened was coming back to him.

"NO! You did what you could, if we would have nailed that idiot we all could have been killed. Now you just let me worry about things." She knew him well enough to know that right now the truth seemed to hollow.

"I will be right back, I need to get the stokes and back board, if I can find them."

"Call Rampart and County." His voice was regaining some of its strength.

"I wish I could partner. The radio in the squad is trashed and I can't find the HT or the Bio Phone. For now I am going to need your help to get you out of there." She left his side to retrieve the stokes and back board.

"Hey there Skippy, read for a ride?"

"That is not my name and you know it, Chickee!" He understood what she was trying to do.

It took a multitude of baby steps but with his help she managed to cut his seat belt and get him and his broken bones splinted and in the stokes. One of the many miracles to follow was that somehow with rope she managed to pull him far enough away from squad, so he was out of danger.

It didn't matter that she wanted to keep going, her body was refusing to go anywhere. Time was not on their side, however she had no choice but to rest for a few minutes.

Propping herself up, she hears a sound that she is familiar with, the sound of the engine driving down the road. Not caring what Brice or anyone else would think of her, A.J. cried like a baby.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Gage was starring out of the kitchen door when Roy walked up to him, concerned by his partner's mental absence. "Hey Johnny are you alright? You have been really quiet since that last call. Did something happen I don't know about."

"I'm fine Roy. I just can't shake this feeling that something is wrong."

"What do you mean wrong? You think the Phantom has something in store for you?" Roy knew his partner well and was perplexed.

"No, it's nothing to do with that." He didn't even take a moment to trash Chet. "I just don't know how to explain it, it's like something really terrible has happened but for the life of me...I just don't know." His frustration was mounting.

Roy was just about to open his mouth to try and comfort his friend when they were dispatched for an injured person, from a fall. The introspective debate would have to wait.

"Squad 51 responding." Captain Stanley gave his usual response to County. He gave no thought to where Squad 110 would be right now, since they had left before his crew.

--

Captain Morgan was finishing up some of the paperwork for the shift. Most of his crew had no idea the amount of this crap he had to deal with every single shift and that was if there were no injuries of any kind. When one of his guys was involved in an accident, there was a massive amount of paper pushing that had to be done.

He glanced up at the wall clock in his office, "I would have thought that the squad should have returned by now." He figured that since the call was out in the canyon area it could simply be taking them longer to get to Rampart and then report back.

--

Dr. Joe Early was sitting in the doctor's lounge, taking a break and reading one of the latest medical journals. Suddenly his thoughts turned towards memories of A.J. as a child. Their family was close knit and he had spent lots of time with her. He loved all of his nieces and nephews and he had plenty of them. He and Ruth, A.J.'s mother had six other siblings. However for some reason he always had this connection with her. Even when she was little she would look out for and defend the smaller children when they got picked on. She always had a spirit of a protector and healer. He just couldn't imagine what life would be like with out her in it.

"Now what on earth made me think of that?" He remarked out loud.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

As she was crying she was aware that Brice's eyes were closed but he was still conscious. He was giving her the opportunity to gather herself and not make her feel like an idiot. By releasing some of the fear, helplessness and rage allowed her to focus and continue to do what she had to do to help them survive this.

"I did NOT wait this long to fit in somewhere, to have someone to love. Stop and think, you have been in worse situations before." Those situations had occurred over 5,000 miles away, in Vietnam. Her training in the army and at the EVAC hospital was going to get them out of this mess.

She started an IV for Brice, Normal Saline, to help keep his blood pressure at a normal level, to prevent shock. He could have internal injuries as well as the broken limbs. His vitals were stable all considered, his breath sounds were good. She put the O2 on his right side, in case he needed it later.

Oddly, being behind the steer wheel helped him. It gave him some support to his chest as the squad was careening down the cliff. Normally she wouldn't have been allowed to give any IV's or medications with communicating with Rampart first. In this instance, that wasn't an option. Since he did have a head injury, pain meds were not allowed.

She rested for a few more minutes, telling Brice what she was going to do next. "I am going to look for the radio or the Bio phone, which ever I find first."

"A.J., you're hurting too. I can see it in your eyes; you're having trouble breathing..." Right now, her breathing seemed regular but with the blunt force trauma she could have a pneumothorax (collapsing lung) developing.

"It's alright; it's from the cracked ribs." She was grateful that he couldn't see that she wasn't telling the whole truth. The cracked ribs were in reality a failed chest. Several of them in her lower left chest were broken.

"You could have internal injuries and your hip..." He was afraid for her.

"Listen Craig, no one even knows were missing yet. It could be hours only Cap. realizes we should have been back. Then he'll call Rampart and Captain Stanley. Slowly they'll piece it all together. They'll have to search over 20 miles of road because no one knows exactly what happened." She was being realistic. If I can find either one, then at least we can get help sooner.

She tucked a blanket around him; nightfall in the mountains could spell hypothermia. His frustration was obvious, as was he concern for her. "I hope someday he shows his true self to everyone." She knew her journey would be pain filled.

Neither communication device had been any where around the squad when she was searching for the other equipment she needed. That could only mean that it was lost at some point as the vehicle made its descent. Unfortunately, that also meant climbing upwards towards the road.

Her sternum was fractured, her left ribs broken and her right hip was killing her. Walking was out of the realm of possibility. The only option was to basically drag herself while crawling for short periods of time. Determination and adrenaline were the only things that allowed her to get anywhere at all.

Every rock or even twigs felt as if they were tearing into her flesh. Her shirt and pants had already been shredded in several places. Although her hip was screaming at her, she had only that side to lean on. The shivering forewarned of the drastic temperature change that was taking place.

Her body seemed to warm and her mind relax a little, when she thought of him. She was mentally picturing him holding her, his body heat and strong heart beat, keeping her safe from the world. She knew with out being boastful that she was that for him.

Then as she reached for another hand hold, she lost her grip. Once again she was tumbling, spiraling down, down. One particularly unforgiving rock struck her already broken ribs, causing a pain so intense, there was no word to begin to describe it. Brice's fear of a pneumothorax was coming to bear.

Despair and helplessness filled her soul. The chances of finding either of them were so slim. Would anyone even find them in time? Suddenly a brilliant white light appeared, too bright to be a flashlight of any kind. She stared at it, feeling a sense of relief and hope flourishing. With in the light was a woman in white. The same women who had saved her at the warehouse fire were once again beckoning her!! Again she was motioning her towards her. Knowing she had nothing to lose, she crept over and there sitting, still in its case was the Bio Phone!!

As she hooked it up her breathing was becoming increasingly difficult. The pain throughout her body was begging for unconsciousness.

"Rampart...this is Squad 110...can you hear me?"

"Squad 110 go ahead." That phrase was the most beautiful sound that she had ever heard.

She began coughing, which tore at the already painful injuries, followed by ragged, wheezy, breathing. "Help...please...help..." Those were the only words she could get out before she passed out from the intense pain.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Dixie's heart skips a beat, as those few words echoed in her mind. "Squad 110, can you repeat that last message?" She had to have heard incorrectly. She asked three more times and no voice came back. What scared her most was that the line seemed to still be open; the only sound was muffled but resembled short, wheezing sounds.

She leaned out of the booth and glanced around. Seeing Ginger she yelled, "Find Dr. Brackett and get him here ASAP!" Ginger was alarmed; she had never seen Dixie so unnerved.

Gage and DeSoto had just walked up to the desk, when they saw the expression on Dixie's face. She picked up the line to County. "This is Miss McCall at Rampart General Hospital. What is the location of Squad 110?" The paramedics looked both curious and a little panicked, why would Dixie want to know that information?"

She wrote down what the dispatcher was telling her. Then Brackett walked up to ask her what she wanted, which was a routine they did day in and day out. "What is it Dix?"

"I just received a call over the Bio Phone." She hesitated, "its Squad 110."

"What do they have?" Kel was perplexed, Dixie was clearing distraught.

"I don't know I only heard a couple of words, then nothing. The line is still open. The last call they were dispatched for was two hours ago." She was mentally calming herself.

"What?" Johnny exclaimed. "What did you hear?"

"All SHE said was help."

Johnny's complexion paled as he took in those words. Suddenly his feeling of foreboding was becoming all too clear. "Roy, that last call was when they covered for us...."

"Where was the location, do you remember?" Roy was attempting to keep his voice calm. Gage shook his head. "I'll call the station and ask Cap." He picked up the phone, at the desk.

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At Station 51, the men were taking in the down time they were finally having. The phone rings and Marco picks it up, "Hey Roy, what do you want....sure Caps. right here..." He handed the receiver over to Stanley.

"What's up Roy? The last call was on Canyon River Road, why?" An audible gasp escaped from his lips, causing the crew to immediately become silent.

"They called in returning to County....I'll call the 110. What is the number where you're at? "Alright, keep me informed."

"Cap, what's wrong?" Chet could see both panic and guilt in his commander's eyes.

"Just give me a second!" Now the men were really concerned, snapping was not a trait that Stanley showed often.

He finally hung up the receiver, then picked it up again and dialed the number. "Danny, this is Hank at 51. Is your Squad there?" Morgan informed him that they hadn't got back from the last rescue. It really made no sense; they were assisting Stanley's station.

"NO, their NOT at Rampart!" They should have returned over an hour ago!" Hank wasn't telling Danny anything he didn't already know.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Captain Morgan hung up the phone. "Why didn't I act on this sooner? I knew something wasn't right!" He then called County on the radio and asked them to try and contact the squad.

The rest of the crew was startled when they heard County asking their squad to respond. The dispatcher requested a response several times and instead of the voice of either A.J. or Brice, there was complete silence.

"Cap, what the hell is going on?" Davidson knew it couldn't be anything good.

Trying to maintain a level of professionalism he told them, "They told County they were returning, and obviously they didn't." Despite his attempts his voice portrayed his fear for two of his own.

He once again picked up the mic to the radio and told County the situation. The dispatcher's voice echoed through the station. "Engine 110, Station 51; respond the area of Canyon River Road, for search and rescue of Squad 110."

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Roy hung up the phone. The expression on his face showed there was no mistaking the gravity of the situation. "They should have been back at the station over an hour ago...." His focus was on Johnny but his mind was thinking of what he would be doing or better yet, feeling if this were Joanne they were talking about.

Dixie walked in and pushed the button to the Bio Phone link. "Squad 110, can you hear me? Repeat your communication; let us know where you are. What is happening there?"

The only thing audible was the sound of strained, ragged breathing. The others could here it clearly too. It was painful and did not give them any comfort. Johnny's body posture was stiff and his stare was distance as he took in the sounds.

"Engine 110, Station 51 respond in the area of River Canyon Road, to set up search and rescue of Squad 110."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Roy and Johnny turned to make a dash for the emergency entrance doors. Brackett's voice stopped them. "Guys, hold on one second. Dix gets County on the radio and tells them we are going to need a chopper. Then find Morton, I want him waiting and ready to get on board. He'll know what equipment I am going to need." He then brought his attention back to the paramedics. "I'm going with you." Although they were both grateful to have him there, the very fact that he was 'needed' scared them.

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A.J.'s mind was wandering, as her body refused to regain consciousness. The fogginess was more tolerable than the pain. People always say to think happy thoughts, so that was what she was doing. Any thoughts about Johnny were those of warmth, love and safety.

Her mind centered on one in particular, the night where she truly surrendered herself, emotionally and spiritually. There was a secret that she had buried deep with in her soul for over 10 years. No one, not even her family knew what she had hidden or the scar tissue it had created.

_They were lying on the over sized cough in her living room. She always cherished those moments where there was no talking, just him holding her. They had been dating for almost five months. She knew that people in their lives had presumed that their relationship had blossomed into a physical one. Partially because of the length of time they had been seeing each other and partially because of the reputation that Johnny had._

_"Johnny....can I ask you a question?"_

_"Of course, why do you think you need to ask?" He sensed there was a lot more to her inquiry._

_"Do I make you feel like you have done something wrong?"_

_"NO, where is this coming from?" He half sat up behind her, looking into her green blue eyes he could see storm clouds of fear and something else he couldn't place._

_"You have never tried to try anything beyond kissing me...."_

_"I always had the feeling that you didn't want me to" Was he wrong?_

_"Have you ever wondered why?" She had one last chance to change the subject and not reveal this to him. No, enough was enough; he deserved to know the truth._

_"Yes, but I trusted that you would tell me when you were ready." He had at first been concerned that it was something he did to make her uncomfortable but that just didn't make sense. He knew the guys would never believe it but sex was the not the only thing that ever thought about. He was willing to wait for her to trust him enough to talk about it._

_"I want to be honest with you....something happened a long ago, something that changed me forever."_

_Johnny was angry, not at her but whoever hurt her enough to cause this obvious crippling pain. Whatever it was must have been horrible to cause her to hide it from everyone who cared about her._

_"You know I spent most of my summers on the reservation with my father's family, mainly my grandparents. It happened the year I turned sixteen. You see on east and west borders of the reservation were two small towns. The one towards the east had some nice, friendly white people. The man who owned the general store was always nice to my friends and I, he would even give us some penny candy." So far she seemed more relaxed, as if relaying a childhood adventure._

_"The adults always told us to never go into the other town. We were always told that the people there hated Indians. There were all kinds of stories about what they would do if they saw an Indian coming into town. As children, it scared us silly, so we never went near town or even that border area of the reservation. That summer we were feeling all grown up, we were teenagers. One of them bet me that I wouldn't go into town and go in and buy a soda. Of course being me, I took the challenge." He felt her stiffen slightly in his arms._

_"So I walked out of the wooded edge border and started towards town. I was feeling very confident. I had been studied in different martial arts since I was eight years old. I walked right into the general store and asked for a soda. The man gave me icy stares but sold me it to me. I was so happy, I had won the bet." She had a small wry smile on her face but her eyes were telling him something else._

_"Then as I was walking back to the reservation, a pick up truck came up from behind me. There were three white men inside, they started slowly driving along side of me, taunting me, calling me a dirty squaw and other names I had already heard from better people. Then they sped up, stopped and blocked the road. They got out and asked me if I thought I was better than they were...." She shivered and he tightened his arms around her like an invisible shield between her and the memory._

_"I ran into the meadow, hoping they would be satisfied with scaring me...I was wrong...they got back in the truck and came after me." She took a deep breath. "They circled around me, they said that just because I had blue eyes, that didn't make me white, I was just a half breed squaw." This time she felt Johnny stiffed, he had heard that adjective too many times before._

_"They started grabbing me; they were high on LSD or something like it. I nailed them with punches and kicks that should have laid them out flat. Instead it was like they were batting away a fly. Nothing I did affected them, then they pinned me to the ground." Tears welled up but stubbornly refused to fall._

_"They ripped my shirt open and yanked down my shorts....I couldn't stop them....they took their turns raping me, sodomizing me....then came back for seconds...." She was subconsciously leaning into him, circled up into the fetal position, rocking back and forth as if it would defend her from reliving the nightmare. "Then they just stood up, got back in the pickup and left me lying there in the middle of no where." The tears were now flowing down her tanned cheeks, it was summer and her skin tone had darken a couple shades more than his own._

_His rage was at a boiling point, he would kill them if he could find them. "Dear GOD, how had she kept this to herself all these years? The sheer agony that she pushed herself to deal with!" He willed himself to control his tone and body language. She needed his support right now. "You never told anyone?"_

_"As I was walking back home the Sheriff drove up and stopped me. He asked what I was doing off the reservation, like I had escaped from prison or something. I told him that I had been raped and I could identify the ones who did it, that I wanted to press charges. He looked me right in the face and laughed! He said why would any white man even want to touch me, much less rape me!" The tears were now spilling down her cheeks as her voice strengthen with rage and pain. "Even if he did arrest them, who was going to believe a half breed Indian? The horrible thing was that he was right....."_

_"Why not tell your parents or grandparents?" He had never met them but from the way A.J. talked about them fondly, he knew they would have been there for her._

_"Why, what would it have accomplished? It would have only enforced their belief about most white people. They would have been enraged and probably done something stupid, which would have made things worse. I was ashamed, and felt like it was my fault....if I had listened and not gone into town." She finished softly._

_"Baby, you did nothing wrong! You have every right to be or go anywhere in this world! No one EVER does anything to deserve that!" He turned her face towards him to make sure she understood. It was then that sobs started to rack her body. She clung to him like he was shelter in a raging storm. He didn't speak, knowing his actions were what she needed more than mere words._

_They simply lay there for several minutes, Johnny cradled her gently, allowing over a decade of pain, shame and anguish to flow out of her. The sobs were coming sporadically now, lessening in intensity. During those minutes he began to think about why she had blocked any progression in their physical relationship._

_She started to speak again, once she could get control of her voice. "I went out with a few guys, once and a while but only for one or two dates. Most times when they realized quickly that they were getting any, they wouldn't call again. I would fight not to flinch if he wanted to hold my hand or his hand around my waist. I would go into a panic attack if it surprised me. I'm sure I out right frightened some of them. I was always afraid of any man, unless it was family, touching me in any form."_

_"Do I ever scare you?" Suddenly his worst fear was that he had innocently added to the problem._

_"NO! Johnny you have to understand, that is what was, is different about you! From the beginning, I wasn't afraid. I wanted you to take my hand and hold me next to you. When you kissed me the first time, I thought I was going to pass out because it was so incredible. I never knew that it was supposed to be that way." She relaxed when she saw the corners of his smile turn upwards ever so slightly._

_"My body wants to be with you; sometimes it aches not to have you touching me. I am afraid that if I try, I won't be able to finish what I started. That would hurt you in so many different levels. I couldn't bear that." _

_ "Johnny, I have never been physical with anyone, by my choice."_

_"Oh my word! The only experience she has is that horrifying day! No wonder she is so timid, and afraid!" His rage for those SOBs surfaced again. No...he had to control himself and make her understand._

_"Baby, listen to me closely....you know I will never push you to do anything you don't want to. Whenever you feel like you want to try, then and only then will anything happen. If you want to stop, we'll stop. I promise you, it will happen when you are ready and not before. You could never hurt me."_

_They spent the night together in bed asleep, with him gathering her towards him in a protective embrace. When morning came, she awoke with a feeling of redemption. It was as if a ten ton weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She thought about what he said the night before. The thought of anything or one having control of her, brought instant fear. She wanted to scream in frustration, then an idea appeared in her mind._

_She kissed him passionately and he awoke with a start, as he responded in turn, he looked afraid of hurting her. She sat up, smiled and said, "Let me drive."_

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The memory of her rape of course didn't bring comfort. However, remembering how she had bared her soul, and opened herself up to him did. They had melded into something that neither one of them could really define.

The fog was beginning to lift, she could hear a familiar voice calling her.

"A.J.....A.J. can you hear me?"

**For any reader who would care to read the extension of this chapter that is more of a rated R version of their first time together email or send me a message and I will send it to you. As always please leave reviews!**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

When she saw Ginger, one of the other RNs come up to the desk, she gave her instructions to call Dr. Early and tell him he had to come in immediately for a patient and to keep the message vague, the last thing Dix wanted was for him to end up in a car crash racing to get here.

Dix was glued to the Bio Phone connection at Rampart. She wanted to go into the field with Kel and Mike but knew how critical her role was right here. A.J. had to start talking again, not only because her immediately survival depended on it but so the rescue personnel could find them. Canyon River Road was long and snake like, there was 20 miles or more to cover, in the dark. The other emergency nurses were doing their jobs in getting the treatment rooms set up and an OR on standby, all praying that none of it would be needed.

"A.J....honey, come on...you need to listen to me. Help is on the way, where are you? Can you give me an exact location? Please talk to me!" Frustration was causing her voice to crack. They could literally be almost anywhere in that stretch of road. Once they were found, even by chopper it could take at least another 10 or 15 minutes till they could reach Rampart. She hadn't gotten any response from her since the paramedics and Brackett had left.

"Dixie.......Dixie?" A small voice filled with pain replied back to her.

"Yes, A.J. it's me. Please do you know where you are, exactly?"

"I think about 10 miles from the last call..." The pain was causing her mind to slow down.

"Alright, give me one second, you just keep talking." This was critical, no one knew just how much blood loss, either external or internal, there was. She could have a concussion on top of everything else.

She had already set up a link from County, who would relay it to the responders and then back again. "County, I have a location of approximately 10 miles from the previous accident scene."

"Brice.....Oh GOD....please help him." She was fighting to not cough again, the pain was no walk in the park but when that happened....

"What are the victim's conditions?" She was hoping that using their routine would help her keep going.

"Male is approximately 29 years old. He has a break in the left humorous and tib. fib., along with a possible head injury. He is on a back board and splinted, with O2 available." She continued by telling Dix his vital signs. "I gave him an IV with Normal Saline, in an attempt to keep his BP, because of possible internal injuries.

"That is exactly what you should have done......A.J. are you still there?" Dixie was straining to hear anything, even if it was just the breath sounds that had been present before.

"Here...so much pain....I'm cold." Her voice was beginning to slur and the temperature had begun to drop. She knew she had to stay awake, but the pleasantness of the darkness was tempting.

"I know A.J., I know but keep this line open and stay with me. What are your injuries?"

"Head lacerations, possible concussion, lower left flailed chest, now with probable pneumothorax, partially collapsed. She has difficulty breathing and chest pain. Vitals are as follows...." Speaking about herself in second person, helped her to maintain distance from the situation.

"Oh, GOD! She could develop into Tension Pneumo!" Quickly she told County to relay to Squad 51, the conditions of the victims and that their locations would be far off of the road itself.

"Can you get more vitals from Brice?" Dix figured if she could keep her busy, it prayerfully be enough of a distraction from the situation. Kel and the others should be well on their way by now.

"No....had to find the Bio Phone.....radio smashed....handy talk missing, I can get back to him now though...." She shuttered at the thought of moving again but Dixie was right, she had to stay updated on his condition and maybe they would find both of them faster if they were together.

"Wait, A.J., you should just stay there! You probably have internal injuries, besides your lungs, you've already done enough!" Dixie wished she had kept her mouth shut, she knew her friend well, and she would do anything to save her partner, even if it meant getting herself killed. "Can you still hear me?"

With what little strength reservations she had left, Wolfie tried to move while bringing the Bio Phone with her, it was their only lifeline left. She managed a short distance before the weight of the unit, her intensifying pain and shortness of breath stopped her. "I'm sorry.....GOD forgive me....I just can't go any further...." Her voice betraying her professional exterior.

"That's alright, stop worrying, help is almost there....Johnny's almost there." She was praying that hearing his name would give her another reason to fight the urge to sleep and stop the horrible pain she must be in. Dixie had already noted that A.J. seemed to have some altered mental status and her speech was beginning to slur. Time was ticking by and her responses to the questions were coming farther apart. "What happened to you guys out there?"

"Car ran us off the road....over a cliff....fell far....no fire though....small miracles, huh?" For a second there was a lighthearted moment, and a smile in her voice.

"We'll take any we can get, right?" That was a philosophy that both applied to Emergency Medical care and the fire service in general. One that Dix held dear to, especially times like right now. Then she heard her start to cough, filled with spasms and wheezing, then silence again.

"A.J.....talk to me! A.J.? Don't give up now, come on, their almost there. You done everything right, don't stop now! Please!" After she begged for several minutes, she heard the sound of sirens in the distance.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The Fire Department chopper was circling above the winding dirt road. Its' mission wasn't only a possible transport vehicle for the injured paramedics but also to locate them faster, it had been relayed that they were off the road and in the canyon somewhere.

The ride to the Canyon road was seemingly unending. County had relayed the information Dixie had given them. In one way knowing was a good thing, it gave them an idea of what they were walking into. However in another aspect, it made it abundantly clear how critical the situation was and how grave it was that the _golden hour_ had already slipped away.

The three men in the squad were all pensive, but one was on the fringe of emotional shock. It had been less than twenty four hours ago that she had been in his arms. He finally understood both sides of the coin, so to speak. He knew the perspective of the firefighter and what the better half of one goes through as well. "Please GOD, give her some of the strength that she gives the rest of us everyday." Then he rephrased feeling guilty for leaving Brice out of the first one. He may be many things but he was a great paramedic and partner to his love.

Roy was filled with relief that Brackett had come along. They were good paramedics but having a doctor and surgeon in the field was what could make all the difference. He glanced past Kel, when he could to check on his partner. If the situation was reversed and this was Joanne involved, he didn't know if he could have remained this calm.

Brackett was calculating in his head how quickly her lung collapse could develop in a deadly problem. When a lung collapses, air seeps in between the lining of the lung, building pressure in the chest cavity. It can then smash the heart into the unaffected lung, killing the patient, even if there is immediate medical treatment, much less if none is given.

Then the chopper pilot voice answered their first of many prayers, "Squad 51; I have located the over turned squad."

Engine 51 and Ladder 110 had also been driving the area trying to find their missing collegues. The engine was a head of the squad, they returned to the previous calls location and were working their way back towards the squad and ladder truck. The ladder had come up from behind the squad, depending on where and how they were stranded, the ladder and its' bucket could come in handy.

When it came across the airwaves that they or rather the vehicle had been spotted, it brought a sigh of relief from all. The first step in the rescue had been accomplished. They had known on the way in that the victims were not together any longer, a fact that didn't make this any easier.

All of the responders merged together at the site. Each man got out and began to do their jobs in unison. Rope rigging, two stokes, a back board and of course all of the medical bags and equipment, among other items were gathered together. The crews using both hand lights and portables on tripods, began to look for the missing paramedics, several rope lines were set up to make the decent into the canyon as safe as possible.

Davidson from the 110 was standing at the smashed squad, scanning with his flashlight, shinning it away from his location and slowing back toward the squad. After a minute of two he heard an almost inaudible voice, "Over here! Can anyone hear me?"


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Davidson spun around attempting to location the voice he had just heard. The foliage was thick which was absorbing a lot of the sound. His ears were alerted again, this time it sounded closer.

"Is someone there? Please, we need help...." Following the voice he first saw the yellow of the back board, then Brice. His teeth were chattering, and he looked like death warmed over, literally. As he got closer he could see the splints on his left leg and arm, as well as the IV.

"So there you are! You had better come up with an excuse real quick, you know Gage he can be a jealous man! What were you thinking...stealing alone time with his woman?" Brice wasn't known for his sense of humor, however once and a great while it shone through that he indeed had one. Plus, he was hoping to get him talking and redirect his mind from the obvious pain.

"I could take him..." A small smile crept across his face, which unfortunately reminded him of how badly he hurt all over.

"Take it easy, buddy, the cavalry's here. He grabbed his HT, "Cap. This is Davidson, I've got Brice! I am going to need a couple of blankets and a stokes."

"You've got it!" Morgan was relieved to have one of his medics, now they had to find Wolfie and fast, he too had heard the report on her injuries. "Gage, DeSoto, who ever is closer to the squad, go help Brice."

It was Gage who was only a few hundred feet away from Brice. Although of course, his personal mission was to find A.J., he couldn't simply turn away from helping him either. He crushed through vines and brush until he reached Brice.

"Hey, let's take a look at you...." He took note of his shivering and altered mental status as he checked his vitals, which were surprising good considering the situation, they were stable. His broken bones had been stabilized; the IV was keeping him both hydrated and his blood pressure steady. The confusion was probably due more to the cold than anything else.

"Sorry Gage, we're just friends..." Johnny glanced at Davidson, who gave a look of _I'll explain later. _

"Relax; we can talk about it later. Do you know which direction A.J. went?"

"She's hurt too...I tried to stop her....I think she fell...." The darkness that was calling his name for the last almost two hours was now being persistent.

"FELL! What do you mean fell? As in when the squad crashed?" The terror in Johnny was escalating every second.

"Nooo, she was trying to get help....then some rocks gave way and she slide down towards the canyon."

"Captain 51, A.J. fell while trying to find a way to get help. She could be anywhere in relation to Squad 110." Kevin Davidson's heart also sank at hearing Brice mutter those words. "Dear GOD in heaven, how are we going to find her in the dark?"

Dix froze in her seat, at Rampart. Dr. Morton was on the chopper that had spotted the paramedics and Kel was on scene but what good would any of that do, if no one could find her? Then an idea came to here. "County, tell the rescuers to 'key open' their mics off and on, every minute or so. I'll relay to you if I can here the noise or not." The sound that would be emitted should be a loud, shrill, white noise.

So each of the teams on the ground did as she requested, while the chopper circled above. Each man was becoming more and more agitated, their sense of hope dwindling. How much longer could she last in the plummeting temperatures? What injuries were created or made worse by the biggest enemy to the rescuers....time?

"WAIT!! Tell them to stop, where they are! Look around carefully, the squelch noise sounds like its right next to me!" Had another prayer been answered?

Captain Stanley stopped dead in his tracks. His flashlight danced across yet another area seemingly identical to the last he had scanned over. Then he noticed for a brief moment something glimmered, a reflection! He moved closer, keeping his eyes peeled to that spot.....a watch!!! He dashed the rest of the way and was greeting by a horrific sight, Wolfie, completely still, as if she were....Was it too late?

He knelt beside his friend and made himself feel for a pulse. He almost began to cry when he felt a weak, rapid heart beat. Her breathing was so shallow; it appeared to be non existent. Her chest on the left side was crumpled like a soda can, the flesh grotesquely discolored by the deep bruising.

"County, this is Captain 51; the second victim has been located." Taking a second to catch his breath he continued, "Copter 8 this is Captain 51, can you see my location?" He took couple of flares out of his jacket and lit them.

"10-4 Captain 51; there is an area just south of your location; we'll take her down there." Sitting on board, if he could have Dr. Morton would have jumped mid air from the chopper, in order to get help to his friends.

Roy made it to her before Brackett could. Like the others his adrenaline was pumping on over time. He almost fell and slid the whole way there, the incline was so steep. When he got to Stanley's side, his eyes widen in disbelief. They were immediately drawn to her bloody blue shirt, and the distortion of her delicate torso. Stealing a glance at his Captain, he saw the fear in his eyes that echoed his own.

He went into full paramedic mode, emotions would have to wait. He began his evaluation of her condition and her vitals. Her breathing was labored to say the least; the left side of her chest was not rising with the right. She was unconscious, which for the moment was a blessing. The pain would be almost unbearable, and pain medications were not possible. As he began palpating the abdomen she came around, slightly. She was attempting to lift herself up, "Craig...need to help him....."

"Easy, easy, A.J.....can you hear me?" She wasn't responding to his voice, as if he wasn't there. Captain Stanley was trying in vain to hold her down, without causing further damage.

"Lie down, that's an order, you hear me?" Hank was hoping that would reach her. She stopped struggling for the moment.

"A.J., hang on, we're here now. Brice is being taken care of, you did a great job. He's hanging in there and that is what I need you to do for me, OK?"

"Roy?" The fog was beginning to lift, if only for the moment.

"Yeah, it's me. I know, I know, I am a poor second choice. Johnny's with Brice now." He was trying to get a reaction from her. "Brackett and Morton are here. How do you rate, their doing a house call just for the two of you?"

Her mind was crystal clear when she whispered, "Tell Johnny....tell him.....I'm sorry...." Stanley was watching her face as Roy continued to work on her. She drew in one last breath and then was completely still.

"Roy....she's not breathing!"

Placing his hand against her neck he felt nothing. Frantically searching for Brackett, he sees him coming from a distance and screams at the top of his lungs, "She's in full arrest!"


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Joe had arrived and Dixie had filled him in with the situation at hand. Both were obviously relieved that at least they had both been found and were alive. It was short lived when they overheard the exclamation that Roy had just made.

It had been a slow day at Rampart Emergency, which was helpful. The other doctors and nurses on staff were able to care for the patients already there. This gave Joe and Dix the opportunity to listen in on what was happening. They grasped each others hands and said silent prayers to give the doctors and paramedics the skills and miracles they would need to save Brice and A.J. Neither one had to speak, they were in this business long enough to know the odds were stacked against her.

"Dix, I should call her Ruth and Bill and let them know what is happening...." He dreaded the call but knew they had every right to know what was happening with their daughter.

"Just wait Joe; let's find out if she is going to.......when she is going to be alright, when there is more information. It will be harder on them to know almost nothing and have to wait." In her head she was thinking, there won't be enough time to make to her side, if the worst happens.

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Gage froze when he heard Roy scream, he couldn't hear what his words were, only that there was panic in his voice. He kept on working with Morton and one of the RNs that had arrived on the chopper.

"Gage....GAGE!" Morton was trying to get his attention.

"I'm sorry Doc, what do you need?"

"Listen, Brice is stable for now, besides Daisy and I can handle this....go to her." Sometimes Morton was accused of not having a _good bedside manner_ but today; he made up for all of those times.

Dr. Brackett had not run that fast and furious, since his days on his college track team. His usually impeccable tailored suit was muddy and torn. He was carrying in his hands among other bags, the defibrillator, trying not to fall. He couldn't afford to lose this piece of equipment. That theory was proven when he heard Roy's scream.

He arrived in just seconds after wards. Roy was performing chest compressions on her battered body while Hank was bagging her. Quickly Kel laid out the machine and began to it hook up and placed the paddles to her chest. When it reached 400 joules, he shouted, "CLEAR!!" Looking at the screen he could see her heart had begun to beat on its own, but not adequately enough, it would soon fail again.

Kel also noticed that her jugular veins were distended and her trachea was being displaced over to the right side. That meant Tension Pneumo., her heart and other lung where essentially being crushed by the pressure inside her chest. He pulled a syringe out of his pocket and yanked the plunger out with his teeth, he found the area that he wanted and pushed it into her chest. With some of the pressure being released from her chest cavity, she began to breathe on her own. However the fight to save her life had just begun.

Johnny had just gotten to her side, when Brackett plunged the needle into her chest. The sight of her nearly made him vomit, right then and there. She was almost unrecognizable. Her face was covered in dried blood from the head laceration, the right side of her chest was caved in, and lips had a bluish tint, instead of vibrant red. She looked like a fragile China Doll, instead of her usual tower of strength.

Roy looked up to catch his partner's eyes. They were brimming with tears of fear and frustration that were refusing to fall down his cheeks. "We got her back Johnny....." His voice trailed off as Brackett started to speak to them.

"Listen, I need to re inflate this lung, put in a chest tube. Normally I would do it in the hospital but she's not getting enough oxygen and the longer we wait the more complications could arise." He paused before beginning again, "I'm going to try and numb the area but this is going to be painful, she'll probably regain consciousness." Kel knew it had to be done but was thinking, "She's already been through so much."

He instructed the three men on what they each had to do. "Hank, you keep the O2 on her, she still needs it. Roy holds her arm above her head, later we'll secure it in that position and John you have to hold her, so she doesn't move."

The actual procedure took only seconds and Brackett was right, she woke up. Her scream reverberated right through them. She struggled violently against Gage and DeSoto, unaware in her state of mind that they were helping her. "Hold her down!" Ordered Brackett, "I have to secure the tube, with a couple of stitches." He was using more lidocaine to attempt to numb the area again.

Johnny was practically on top of her, trying to keep her still, when he leaned down to her face, "Baby, can you hear me? Listen, I'm here now...it's gonna be alright....I know, I know it hurts. You need to stay with me.....you can breath better now, right? That's why we did it, your lung collapsed and you couldn't breathe at all." He was pleading with her not to blame them for being yet another source of pain.

She stopped thrashing and her eyes fluttered open for a second. "Johnny…….?"

Yes, it's me Tehila, I'm not going anywhere. Right by your side is where I am staying"

As the back board, stokes and other equipment was brought over, Brackett continued his examination. He noted firmness and tenderness in her abdomen along with her other injuries. Her breath sounds still weren't equal but better than they had been a few minutes ago.

They secured her arm and packed soft gauze around her failed chest. She was gingerly strapped to the board and loaded into the Stokes basket. Her guys carried her over to the chopper and loaded her onto it, as Brackett and the two paramedics got on board as well. Brice had already been loaded on. Mike and Daisy were riding in the squad on the way back.

As it rose into the night sky, each and every man on the ground spontaneously got on their knees and a said a prayer.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The three men all glanced at each other, sighing with relief that both the patients, were finally on the last leg of the rescue, the hospital. Brice's vitals were stable, from what Brackett could see, he had escaped any internal damage. The breaks were stable and the head injury, so far was presenting as nothing too serious. The IV solution keep his body hydrated and his blood pressure steady, the blankets had keep him relatively warm. In essence A.J. had saved his life.

Roy kept an eye on Brice to monitor his vitals, since Wolfie was hooked up to the EKG; it was the only way to know if he was remaining stable. Kel continued his examination on A.J., while giving Johnny additional orders for IV medications. So far her heart rate had remained fast but steady, however they were having a hard time keeping her blood pressure up, it was 80/60. She was in and out of consciousness. He was certain that she had serious inter abdominal bleeding from either her liver, spleen or both. Her belly was rigid and she had communicated that she had pain around the left side of her collar bone. The flight made the trip to Rampart faster but would it be fast enough?

Johnny's eyes were glued to the small, frail woman on the back board. She could not have looked any more unlike the person he fell in love with. From the first day he laid his big browns on her, he knew she was unlike any woman he had ever known, period, end of discussion. Whenever anyone asked her how they met, she always won the prize for the most interesting story...ever. He had been trapped in a factory fire; she freed him, and then carried him out on her shoulders to safety. How many women could say that? The memory brought a smile to his face.

Since it was late spring, her skin tone had already begun to darken; in a few weeks it would fully reflect her father's side of the family. He always thought it was ironic, in the summer her skin tone was more Sioux but her hair was caramel brown, with streaks of fiery red tones mixed in. In winter, her skin was fair but her hair almost black, like his. In either case her blue-green eyes were always contrasted, almost exotic. Her outer beauty was obvious to anyone who saw her but her inner glow was a trait that only a select few saw. He counted himself as blessed to be one of those few.

Roy sat there, his _brother_ and one of his closest friends next to him. It had taken a long time for Johnny to find someone like her. She seemed to know him better than he knew himself. He also was aware that he seemed to be more comfortable in his own skin; perhaps because she knew what is was like to live in the same kind of skin. Roy couldn't imagine dealing with the prejudice that they must have both encountered. He was repeating the same prayer over and over in his mind. He had never been very religious but he did believe in a higher being and so far he had come through with some major miracles, the first one being....they had survived the crash.

"Craig...?" Her voice still carried a surprising amount of strength.

"Hey, take it easy, he's right next to you. He's lapping up all of the attention!" Gage wasn't sure she could even understand what he was saying.

"Johnny...is that you?" Brackett was alarmed that she was not coherent, not knowing who was talking to her. It could be a sign of a concussion.

"Yeah Baby, it's me, remember I was talking to you a little while ago? If you wanted some quality time with me, there were other ways to go about it!" He forced a brilliant smile to his terrified face.

"I'm sorry....I am so tired and cold....."

"That's alright, you just rest....we can talk later...." He stopped talking when she exhaled and closed her eyes. He looked that the EKG at the same time as Brackett.

"DAMN! Flat line! Grab the paddles!" Kel started chest compressions while Johnny bagged.

Roy turned the defibrillator on and waiting for the correct charge to build up. He put the paddles in place and shouted, "CLEAR!!!"

It took three more jolts and some more IV meds to get her back. The chopper was finally descending on the landing zone at Rampart.

When the chopper door opened they were greeted by orderlies and nurses, who directed them into the emergency doors. Dr. Brackett gave orders for A.J. to be taken directly into surgery, her lungs had remained strong, and the internal bleeding had to be stopped, or all of this would be in vain.

Dr. Early took control of Brice's treatment. All his years of experience gave him the ability focus on the task at hand. He could do nothing for his niece and she was in excellent hands. Brice was conscious and talking, which was a good sign.

The rest of the crew and Dr. Morton and Daisy had not yet arrived. Standing in the waiting room, at first neither of the men spoke. All of his stamina and strength suddenly left him, as he began to sway, his knees buckling. Roy had been watching him closely and dashed over to catch him before he hit the floor.

"Sit down, here" It was more of a command than a request.

"I can't lose her, Roy! I just can't." Feeling secure with his partner by his side, he began to sob.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Now came the time of waiting, a period in which time itself seemed to stand still. The rest of the rescuers had arrived at Rampart. The Engine 51 and Ladder 110 were listed as available. Captain Stanley had already called the Battalion Chief and explained the situation, so he was arranging for Dwyer and Stevens to come in a few hours early and pick up the squad.

In the brotherhood, there are a few simple rules. One of which is that they were all family, and what a huge extended family it was. Each man there had their own personal experiences with the two fallen members.

Dr. Joe came in and informed everyone that Brice was going to make a full recovery; he was getting fitted for his two casts. This was a relief; of course none of them could really stand Craig Brice. No one could really figure the guy out, he never seemed to warm up to any human being, except for one. A.J. had some how formed this bond with him. Once and a great while they would even catch him smiling! Then of course was the time where he actually helped her, Gage, DeSoto and Davidson pulled one over on the 'Phantom'. In that shinning moment, he laughed so hard, he was crying! None of them could believe it.

Johnny literally cried on Roy's shoulder for several minutes. They were alone in the nurse's lounge, away from the others. No one else would have thought less of Gage for releasing the flood of emotions he had levied inside of himself. Gage in his heart did not allow anyone to see his true self. He loved the men he served with and would die to save any of them. However he couldn't bring himself to be vulnerable, raw in front of them. Roy was truly the only man that fit that bill. Neither one of them could explain it, their connect was far beyond partners or even friends. In fact there was only one _woman_ who gave him that security and any moment he could lose her forever.

Roy said nothing for the longest time, instead he allowed Gage to drain his soul's anguish. He knew that his best friend was terrified of losing not just a girlfriend but a soul mate. He had known long ago that it was Johnny's secret desire to find that one woman he could give himself too. Most people saw him as only a womanizer, a serial dater. Roy had always known better than that. His wished he could promise him that everything would be alright but his training and experience told him that the only thing that would save his good friend was yet another miracle.

Pushing himself away from Roy he met his eyes, "I'm sorry Roy...."

"For what? You needed to do that; you need to take care of yourself."

"What happened out there? How on earth did they go off the road like that?"

"Brice kept mumbling something about a car that was in their lane and was swerving back and forth. I think he did his best to avoid him and they ran out of road....it wasn't his fault Johnny." Roy wasn't sure if that was what Gage was getting at or not.

"I already figured that, the guy can be a real jackass but he's no maniac behind the wheel." How A.J. had managed to befriend a man like him, he never quite figured it out.

Chet had left the room where everyone had converged to wait for news to find Gage and DeSoto. He had almost walked in the nurse's lounge, when he heard what sounded like sobbing. He stopped and peered around to see Gage clinging to Roy as if he were his life line. Roy was simply hugging him tight; rocking him back and forth, like a parent would do to comfort a child. He had never witnessed Gage so devastated before. He leaned against the wall in the hallway, and allowed some of his own tears to fall. She was the most unique woman he had ever met in his life. He was forcing himself not to wonder what life would be like with out her in it. Instead of intruding he simply walked away, giving Johnny time to regroup before joining everyone else.

Brackett and the surgical team used their training to distance themselves emotionally. Otherwise their fears would kill her. Normally, none of them would ever participate in an operation, on someone they loved and cared about. However when it came to one their paramedics, there was no one on staff who wouldn't have that issue.

The scans had shown no significant brain injury. Beyond the breaks to the upper section of the sternum and her lower ribs, her right hip was also fractured. All of those were the least of their worries; the massive internal bleeding was going to end her life, if they couldn't stop it.

"Doctor, her BP is dropping." Nurse Carol was monitoring the patient's vitals, assisting the anesthesiologist.

"Hang another unit of plasma; get some more units of B+!" He had already removed part of the liver and was now deciding on whether or not the spleen could be saved.

He finished going over each organ looking for any additional bleeders, when bells started sounding off. "Dr. Brackett her BP is still falling!!"

"I don't understand......" He then saw what was causing the trouble; a large hema toma was forming on one of the arteries.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Joe Early had joined the rest of the crowd to await news on how the surgery went, as did Roy and Johnny, who had somewhat composed himself. Every minute was unbearable.

Then Kel Brackett pushed open the door and walked in, looking completely exhausted. "She made it through the surgery." Cheers flew around the room but Brackett's face didn't share their relief.

"What is it Kel?" Joe knew there was more it than that simple statement.

"She's not out of the woods yet. She lost a massive amount of blood, we repaired everything but there are still high risks of pulmonary or cardiac complications, as well as infection. The orthopedic surgeon was able to put in place pins to allow her hip fracture to heal correctly."

As they had numerous times before on this day, the men did the only thing they could do...pray.

Joe made the phone call that every parent dreads answering. It set off a chain of phone calls in Pennsylvania and the Dakotas. It was arranged that A.J.'s grandparents would drive in from the Reservation and her parents and maternal grandparents would fly in from the East. Despite having two very different cultures, both sides of her family were very close.

When she was brought to recovery Gage was waiting. Her skin was now clean and soft again, no traces of the blood that had been plastered on her face when they found her. She still looked so small and fragile, as if the bed were going to swallow her up.

Several hours had passed and she was still unconscious. Brackett had warned that the next 72 hours would be critical. He spent that time talking to her, as if any moment it would become a two way conversation. The others had each separately come in to give her their support. Then they grudgingly took the apparatus back to their individual stations, and then went home, at least for a few hours of sleep. They each had one wanted to stay but were told that the staff would go crazy if they did. Dixie had their numbers and swore that she would call if there was any change. No one was stupid enough to try and get Johnny to leave her side.

Another blessing was that for the A-shift, there was four days of off time coming to them, as per their regular schedule. This made life a little easier on Johnny and Roy. He wasn't about to leave his partners side. He had called home and explained everything to his ever loving and patient wife, Joanne. She had started crying on the phone. She brought Roy some clean civilian clothes, after she dropped the kids off with friends.

Leaving Gage to get them some coffee, Roy met up with her. "Jo, thank you so much for bringing me all of this." He often wondered what he could have done to deserve a woman like her.

"How is she doing, Roy?" Joanne had been in Johnny's new found position before. She could remember each time Roy had been in a hospital bed, fortunately most of those times had not been as dire as this.

"All we can do now is wait. He refuses to even take his eyes off of her, as if his stare is keeping her alive......" His voice broke; fatigue and grief were wearing down his resolution not to cry.

"The kids and I will be fine; you stay with Johnny...he needs you right now."

If she hadn't loved him since elementary school, she would have picked a man who was anything other than a firefighter.

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It had been over 18 hours and Gage hadn't eaten or moved from his century post for even a minute. Roy was trying to pry Johnny from his seat, if only for little while. "Come on partner....you have to keep up your own strength. If you collapse, I am never going to hear the end of it, when she wakes up." He smiled slightly, picturing her doing exactly that.

"What if she wakes up and I'm not here. What if something happens and I'm not her to say......" Tears were filling up in his already swollen red eyes.

"Listen, Joe is outside in the hallway. He's wants to sit with her for a while. She won't be alone for one single second. Dixie will page us if something happens. You have to eat something; you don't want to look like a walking skeleton when she wakes up, right?" Roy would beg if he had to, Johnny needed to take a few minutes, just to vent some of the stress that was building up inside.

"Alright, but just for a few minutes, then I'm coming back." Although he couldn't show it right now, he was thanking GOD for Roy DeSoto. He knew Roy was right, he was starving. He walked to her bedside, leaned over and softly kissed her forehead. "I'll be right back, Joe's going to be with you, you're never alone."

The cafeteria was just opening and the only they had out was pastries and coffee. Still it was at least something to squelch down the acid in his stomach. They both sat down in a booth, not knowing what to say. The two men had been through hell and back so many times, they lost count. Every shift Gage knew he had to make sure that Roy made it home to Joanne that had been his promise to her from the first day he met Roy's family. It wasn't that Johnny didn't value his own life but he had never had much of a family of his own, until now.

"I shouldn't have waited." Johnny blurted out.

"Shouldn't have waited for what?"

"All day....I knew something was wrong...why didn't I figure it out! If we had gotten to her sooner...." He was alert and focused by the guilt that was starting to consume him.

"Stop it Johnny. This wasn't your fault! If anyone is to blame it is the maniac that ran them off the road, no one else.... do you understand?" The tone in Roy's voice made him look up.

"I know, my brain knows it but my heart is a different matter." Thinking of the person who did this brought the same rage and thoughts of revenge as the night that A.J. had told him what she had never told anyone else.

More silence accompanied them, as the finished their coffee. Then something inside of his head began shouting that something was wrong. He drew in a sharp breath, which was noticed by Roy.

"Johnny are you alright? What is it, what's wrong?" His friend's tanned skin had just paled a few shades.

"A.J.! I have to get back to her! Something's wrong......she dying!" He sprinted down the hallway, to the elevator, with Roy two steps behind him.

His fears were confirmed when he rounded the corner to find numerous hospital staff coming out of her room, the last person to walk out was Dr. Joe. He looked like Johnny felt. His face was haggard, dark circles were shading the skin under his eyes.

"Doc, is she alright? She didn't....I mean she's not...." Johnny's eyes were pleading. Roy had already positioned himself behind Johnny, just in case.

"She went into full arrest again. Her lung was collapsing, the right one this time. We had to put in another chest tube. She has a normal response to pain, that's a good sign. Right now she's in a coma. They are going to run some more tests to confirm what Kel thinks is the problem."

"What does he think is wrong?" Roy asked, never taking his eyes off his friend.

"It looks like she's developed pulmonary contusions in both lungs, which wouldn't be uncommon because of the blunt trauma she suffered. It's being complicated by an infection.... probably pneumonia. Johnny we had to put her on a ventilator, to take some of the stress off her lungs, giving them time to begin to heal." It was times like these that Joe wished he could be in denial about his niece's condition.

Once again Roy guided him to sit down. He hadn't collapsed in arms like before, now it was as if his hope was dwindling away. Joe knelt in front of him, and forced him to look into his eyes. "Johnny, everything that medicine and science can do, has been done. Now it's up to her, she has to fight. We both know that is one of many things she excels at! Keep talking to her, I am certain that she can hear us." At that moment, Joe could see the depth of love that the young paramedic had for her.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

It was going into the third day since the accident and there was no marked improvement, the only positive was that she didn't seem to be getting any worse either. She was still on the ventilator, it was breathing for her. The antibiotics were not working in treating the infection. She had not regained consciousness since the surgery.

The other members of her family had arrived. When they all met, it became very apparent that they there was no division amongst themselves due to the many differences between each family. Joe's family was Mennonite and of course her father's family was Lakota Sioux. They were also Christian but embraced many of the old ways and traditions of the tribe as well.

Joe had already informed the family about her condition and details as to what had actually happened. He did his best to answer all of the many questions everyone had. Dixie tried to give everyone's mind a brief break by asking her own questions about what A.J. was like when she was younger.

"Was she ever girly?" Asked Dixie with her famous smile.

"Yes, actually she was such a little princess. Until her father, gave her that little fire helmet!" Her mom feigned a look of disgust towards her husband. She couldn't have been more proud of her little Angel-A.

"So I am guessing that in many of her interests, she was probably the only girl?"

"She broke tradition in high school. Girls could only take home economics, not shop class. Well she changed all of that. She begged and pleaded her case, till they gave in." Her father remembered it very well, as if it were yesterday. "From about 10 years old, she would help me on construction jobs, after school and in the summer time. She could keep up with the men working for me. In fact, they like to joke that she is more graceful up on the roof then on the ground!"

He always had counted his blessings in this life. Where they lived in Pennsylvania was very rural, all of it farm land and small towns. Their family had encountered some prejudice there but not as much as most people would think. The Mennonites and Amish were a large part of the population and they were more accepting than he had imagined. Of course in school, there were those few kids who tried to tear her down. She had learned from a young age that there would be ones like that no matter where she was. They had tried to instill in her that she was beautiful and special, blessed to have experience two different ways of living.

Her parents were the first ones of the family to see her. Johnny was at his usual post, when they walked in. As they introduced themselves, he could see how much she resembled both of them. Her father was taller than he was. His black hair cascading down his back, pulled back into a pony tail. Gage felt a twinge of jealousy; his hair had been much the same way until he joined the department. His skin was several shades darker than Johnny's, to most people he would come across as very imposing. However he could see the softness in his dark brown eyes as he caressed his little girl's still hand.

Her mother was gorgeous, her eyes a Kelly Green, her hair a lovely blend of vivid red and copper. She was also not very tall, something else that A.J. had inherited from her mother. Her skin was porcelain, creamy white. Her eyes right now had more in common with Gage, they also were raw and surrounded by dark circles.

"My daughter has spoken to me a great deal about you." Her eyes lit up temporarily. "We are grateful that out here, she has Joe to watch out for her. However, having you in her life has brought a sense of joy and belonging. That is something that hasn't always come easy for her." She started to cry again.

"Mrs. Whitewolf...." He didn't quite know what to say.

"Call me Ruth, Mrs. Whitewolf is my mother-in-law!" That brought forth a quiet chuckle.

"It is probably more that she has given those things to me. I don't have a large family. She has made it easier for me to embrace both of my heritages. I love her a great deal." He was surprised at how easy it was for him to open up to her....like mother like daughter.

"Mr. Gage, if I may ask you what reservation did you grow up on?" Her father was still holding her hand as he turned to speak to Johnny.

"Fort Peck in Montana....and please call me Johnny, Mr. Whitewolf."

"Only if you promise to call me Bill." He instantly saw what his daughter loved about this man. He also saw a lot of himself in him too. He looked forward to getting to know him, once his daughter was well again.

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The other men had to report back to duty at the end of the forth day since Wolfie and Brice were air lifted out of the canyon. Roy wanted to stay with Johnny; he hadn't even been home much in the last four days. However Johnny insisted that he should go back and work the shift and then spend some time with Jo and the kids.

"Johnny, Jo understands, she told me to stay here with you, give you whatever you need." His wife considered Johnny to be like a little brother and an uncle to the children.

"Roy, you have done so much already. I don't know what I would have done these last few days with out you. Her family is here now, I'll be fine."

"I don't know...."

Captain Stanley had just walked up to them; he was here to visit with her, when he overheard the conversation. "Look Roy, how about a compromise. You work the shift and whenever you want to, if there isn't any calls, you can be 10-8 here at Rampart. Then it will make you feel better and you can keep us updated at the station. Does that sound like a deal?" Hank was loved by his men for this very reason. He was a fair minded, compassionate Captain who would do anything for the men he commanded.

"Alright Cap., thanks!" Roy was still feeling uneasy about the situation. What if the worst happened and he wasn't here for his partner?

Ginger one of the RN's was with the only one with A.J. when Gage and DeSoto was speaking with their Captain. She was doing routine tests to see if there was any improvement or deterioration in her condition.

Then suddenly the alarms on the monitor began to wail. She looked up startled by what she saw, when she read the screen, it was V Tach for a moment, then flatline. She pushed the button to get help in the room fast, Code Blue. Then she lowered the bed and began to do CPR.

Dr. Brackett, Dixie and two other nurses were sprinting, pushing the crash cart of medications, along with the defibrillator. All three men in the hallway turned to see where the commotion was all about. An internal alarm told Johnny what was happening before he even saw them.

He was in the room seconds after the last nurse had come in. There his worst nightmare was unfolding. The staff was doing CPR and Brackett was holding the paddles waiting for the charge to build up in the machine. After the first shock, there was still nothing. The flurry of medications was put in her IV line and directly into her chest and still the alarms were screeching.

Roy had managed to squeeze in the door, next to his best friend. Johnny was plastered against the wall, saying nothing. His body was ridged and his eyes fixed, unable to look away. He kept his hand on his arm, gripping it in vain, Johnny had no sensation that he was even there.

Several more shocks were sent pulsing through her heart and more medication administered. Nothing was working and finally all activity stopped. Dixie and Kel found Johnny's gaze, tears in their own eyes.

"Time of death; 21:45."

**OK, everyone take a deep breath. I PROMISE that you WILL WANT to read the next chapter, I swear!**


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

In the blink of an eye it was over. Johnny had lost what he could never replace, the love of his life. He was frozen, there next to the door. His eyes staring, yet not seeing. He couldn't hear Roy's voice pleading with him to look at him. He had nothing left to say or do, his brain wasn't registering anything, instead there was a numbness that had over come his entire being.

"Johnny....there is nothing else we could have done. It just wasn't helping....this strain of pneumonia wasn't responding fast enough to the antibiotics....." Kel's voice broke from guilt and anguish; she was a close personal friend to him as well.

Dixie crying herself shut off the monitor and ventilator. She took it off of the tubing in A.J.'s mouth. She didn't want any of her family to see her this way. It never ceased to amaze her how when someone dies, they really did just look like they were sleeping.

"NO, stop it, get away from her...DON'T touch her!" Pushing himself from the wall he raced to her bed and made his demands clear again. "I SAID, leave her alone!"

Dixie was completely caught off guard by Johnny's verbal outburst. She knew he wanted to hit something, do anything to make the pain go away. "Johnny, I just wanted to make it easier for......" Brackett moved himself between Dixie and Johnny, who was still on the opposite side of the bed.

He gently raised her body up, sliding on the edge of the bed next to her. She was so still and limp. Even after four days in the hospital, he could still smell her lilac perfume, He inhaled deeply, his mind trying to comprehend that it would be the last time he would smell it.

He held onto her as if the world would stop turning if he let go of her. He refused to believe that she was gone; he could still feel her here with him. He caressed her face and her locks of reddish brown hair.

"Baby, don't leave me...please....I need you here, so does your family and everyone else. You can't go...please...I love you, come back to me."

He then pulled her a little closer towards himself. His face against her chest, rocking her back and forth, in short, frantic movements. His mind snapped back into gear and he stopped rocking her. There is was again....dear GOD in heaven....he felt her chest rise, ever so slightly!!! His hand flew to the side of her neck....he felt a pulse! It was slow and weak but it was definitely there!

"She's not dead....she's alive!" He exclaimed, his heart rejoicing.

Everyone else other than Roy had left the room, to give Johnny some privacy. Also so they could find Joe and the rest of her family. Roy had been watching her partner and was alarmed, full of worry. He was in shock unable to accept what had just happened.

"Johnny, you have to let her go...she's gone..." How could he help him through this?

Johnny snatched Roy's hand and dragged him towards her. He just about yanked his shoulder out of it's socket and pressed it against her neck. Roy's eyes widen in disbelief, he now understood, he felt it too. Jumping back he leaned over and turned the monitor back on. Her heart rate was rising, she was breathing on her own.

He then bolted for the door. Joe, her parents and Hank were listening to Brackett as he informed them of their daughter's death. He nearly bowled him over, and then grabbed his shoulders. "Doc., you have to come quick....she's alive....she's breathing!!"

Kel ran for the door, still not quite believing what Roy had just announced. If it were Johnny making the claim that would be one thing, but Roy? The rest of the crowd was on his heels.

He flung open the door. His eyes automatically turning towards the monitor. Not only was she alive, her vitals were stabilizing, and her heart rhythm was showing...sinus rhythm. If he had not believed in the power of miracles before...he did now!

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Dr. Brackett ordered everyone else out of the hospital room, so that he and Dixie could run some more tests on her. Her vitals were not quite normal but dramatically improved. They pull the tubing out of her throat, since her had begun to breath on her own power. The only explanation was that one last surge of adrenaline had coursed through her heart, starting it.

As they emerged from the room, all of her loved ones gathered around. "There is no medical explanation for her improving, none at all. It just doesn't happen that way. Her heart, lungs everything is in the normal range." Kel was at a loss for any _logical_ reason for the joyful turn around.

"Why doesn't she wake up?" Johnny felt like he could run a mile in 10 seconds flat.

"Her body has been through so much. The trauma of the injuries, the surgery, then the infection. I am not saying that anything is guaranteed but I think it's a matter of time. She still has a lot of healing to do." He had never been so happy to be wrong in his life.

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Sitting next to her, he couldn't take his eyes off of her. The sheer joy of watching her chest rise as she breathed and the sounds of the heart monitor was sustaining him. Then in the early morning hours he had fallen asleep with his head resting on the edge of her bed.

He was dreaming, reliving the first time he had allowed himself to tell her how he felt. He was certain that she knew, long before he could verbalize it. She had been hurt in the rescue of a little girl pinned under a car. Sitting in her hospital room, they had held hands and in unison told each other what was in their hearts. The words, "I love you", once again spilled from his lips, as they had that night.

"I love you too."

Not knowing if he was still dreaming or not, he lifted his head when he felt a hand tenderly cupping his face. His eyes widened as he took in the blue green eyes that were starring at him.

"Johnny...." Her voice was raspy from the tube being down her throat.

"What is it, Tehlila?"

"You really look like hell." Her voice was deadpan with a slight grin on her face.

He began to laugh, a deep intense belly laugh, all of the fear, guilt, anguish, and grief of the last several days washing away.


	23. Chapter 23

After he finally stopped laughing like a hyena, he leaned down and kissed her full red lips. One of the many features that he loved was her lips; she rarely wore make up and never lipstick. They were naturally, a vibrant, intense red.

Gazing into his deep brown eyes, she understood immediately just how close she came to dying, his pain and grief were apparent. Her memory was fuzzy; one of the last images was of her and Brice flying over the cliff. Then only bits and pieces, what had happened?

Only one question came to her. Squeezing Johnny's hand, she exclaims, "Brice...how's Brice? He made it right? He didn't...." She tried to sit up, only to be instantly reminded of how much pain she was in.

"No, relax...he's going to be just fine. You saved his life." For a moment he felt angry with her. "You should have stayed with the Squad....you could have gotten yourself killed!"

"Would 'you' have done anything less, for Roy?" She already knew the answer to that question.

"No....you know I was all set to be really angry with you....now you go and make sense!" He hated it to admit it but she was right. He would give his life for Roy, for any of his guys, she was no different. If there was one thing the last few days had taught him it was to never take her or the time they have together for granted.

"Johnny....I can't remember too much of anything....how long have I been in the hospital?" Judging by the circles under his eyes, it was more than one day.

"A.J. it's been almost five days since the accident." He was leery about telling her too much; maybe it was better if she didn't remember.

"WHAT! Oh no, that means Joe had to have called my parents! Are they here?" She hated the idea of worrying them.

"Yes, so are both of your grandparents. They all came out here, when Joe called them, Honey.....you died..." The horrible scene of Dr. Brackett calling time of death was replaying in his mind, as a grimace appeared on his face.

"Died? You mean literally....died?" The look she caught on his broad, haggard face gave it away.

"Your heart stopped for the fourth time, since we found you in the canyon, they couldn't get it started again. Then I was holding you...to say goodbye...and you came back to us...." Fears tears streamed down his sculpted cheek bones.

"Different times, when everyone was talking to me...I could hear you, all of you. It was so unnerving, I could hear what people were saying but I couldn't move or think straight. I heard you calling for me...you brought me back." She gently wiped away his tears. "You're stuck with me, Waste (love)!"

In the days following her miraculous recovery, everyone under the sun came into visit with her. The one thing that they each had in common was the look on their faces, like they were seeing a ghost or something.

Her grandparents once they had a chance to visit with her, left to go to her house. They took over from Mrs. Nettles; she was a neighbor that had been taking care of her animals. Her mom and day stayed longer, although they seemed to be having a great deal of pleasure in bonding with Johnny.

She felt like a teenager, hoping that her parents approved of her Prom date. She knew they would love him, actually she had been rather anxious for him to meet them, especially her dad. He had a strength that she also saw in Johnny.

The pain was subsiding some, mostly due to that lovely medication...morphine. Although she wanted off of the stuff as soon as possible. It gave her hallucinations, about the oddest things. After all she had tried to convince Johnny that 'they' were stealing her blood to sell on the black market!

She was also more than ready to start physical therapy. The faster she was out of the hospital bed and hospital itself, the better! Then one day lying in the bed, she had the most ridiculous thoughts run through her mind.

All she could think about was the permanent marks, scars that would be all over body. The two 'bullet holes' from the chest tubes, the incision where Dr. B had taken part of her liver, and the incision where they repaired her hip. She was alive and would make a full recovery that is what should have been occupying her thoughts, not this shallow stuff! She couldn't believe that she was feeling subconscious about any of it.

As if one cue, Johnny walked into the room. "How is my Tehila today?"

He took one look at her and seemly read her mind. Then he sat down, with a naughty expression written on his face, he slid his hand under the sheets and her gown and used his fingers to find and trace her scars. He knew full well what his touch would do to her, which was completely unfair!

"You wanna know what one of the many silver linings is in this whole thing?" She had seen that look many times before.

"What's that?" What is he getting at now?

"Chicks with scars turn me on." His expression was both serious and full of mischief. His point was taken; he was letting her know that she had absolutely nothing to worry about.

Still smiling he said, "Is there anything else I can do for you?" He could barely stand imagining what he would do with her, when she was all healed up.

Sobering her expression she responds, "Yes, you can. I need to go back there...take me back to the canyon."


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

"Why do you want to go back there?" At first he was a little alarmed by her request. What would possess her to want to see the place where she almost died?

"I have to see it, face it. That is the place where I almost left this life and abandoned you...." The shadow that crossed his face, showed how close her words hit home. "Johnny, it's alright. It's OK to feel that way..." She reached up to hold his angular face in her hands, allowing him to feel their warmth.

He closed his eyes, willingly his jaw not to tremble at the memory that accompanied her words. His will was strong but his emotions were stronger, the tears once again welled up in his troubled eyes. With the exception of one other person, he would have never allowed himself to show the inner workings of his soul to anyone else but her.

"What makes you think that? I mean....you didn't choose to be injured...." He was constantly shocked, yet intrigued by how she seemed to be able to read him, his emotions and inner most thoughts.

"No, of course not but that doesn't mean that you can't feel that I would be leaving you alone...." She moved her hands down to his chest, resting against his heart. "You know the saying 'the eyes are the mirror to the soul'? Well, there is a lot of truth to it." He took her hands from his chest and held them tightly, his eyes cast downward.

"I just don't know what I would do if something ever happened to you....I honestly think it would kill me...." His voice was barely audible as he made his confession.

"Well, if I have anything say in the matter, you won't be finding out anytime soon. Will you promise me the same?" Her slender fingers gently pushed his chin up, forcing him to look into her eyes.

"That is one deal, I can keep." He thought once again about how Joanne must feel every shift that Roy goes on.

"Alright, now as soon as Dr. B lets me fly the coop, will you take me?"

"Only if he says it's alright!" Since both of them had certain traits in common, he was going to make absolutely certain that she followed Kel's orders to the letter.

"OK, Mother!" She was relieved to see some of those clouds roll away. He had suffered a whole different kind of trauma this week.

It was almost three weeks that she spent at the Rampart Hilton. As soon as she regained consciousness, she was assisted in and out of bed several times a day, and given a walker to start moving around. The physical therapist came in four times a day to get her to do several different exercises and stretches. This was to regain flexibility and keep her stamina up. It also helped to prevent other complications. Her lower chest was taped up to allow the fractures to heal, since the breaks were in the lowest ribs, surgery was deemed not necessary. The sternum was wired together to allow it to heal correctly.

Then came the day that Wolfie thought would never arrive, homeward bound it was. Johnny of course was there to pick up her. What she didn't know is what was awaiting her once she got home.

He had finally gotten back to his regular shifts after the first week. As much as she loved him, she needed her space. He was hell bent on watching her every move, which was driving her a little batty.

"So you finally got sick of the room service?" Dixie couldn't have been happier to see her friend leaving.

"Well, to be honest, it was only a 3 star experience. Maybe you could work on that?" Everyone had been wonderful, always making sure she was in good spirits. Dixie of course was her favorite, very much like a sister that she never had.

Drs. Brackett and Morton walked up to bid farewell to their favorite patient. "Hey Docs. I have been told that you billed extra for the house call to the canyon. So what's the damage?"

They exchanged looks, as if they were consulting on a case, then Kel simply stated, "How about some of your Pennsylvania Dutch dishes at one of your famous cookouts?" She had no idea how soon she was going to see all of them again.

"So I guess your gonna spring her now?" Johnny and Roy came strolling up.

"Yes, Johnny you can take her, we kinda sick of looking at her." Morton fiend a look of horror when A.J. swung at him.

Johnny had asked Roy to come with him because she was still insisting on going back to the site of the crash. He felt more secure having him there just in case. He was trying not to be smothering but coming so close to losing her had him in a state of hyper vigilance. He had checked with her, to make sure she was OK with it. She trusted Roy, if she had an emotional reaction; she was comfortable doing it in front of him.

Brackett had OK'd it saying he preferred she stayed in the wheel chair, instead of walking on the crutches. She was told to walk around with them and use the chair when she became fatigued. She had to continue the exercises at home.

It was a nice drive, the weather was beautiful. To anyone else, it would have been serine and peaceful. However for the three friends it was an anxious time. None of them had returned to this spot since that fateful day.

Johnny pulled over at a parking area; this area was actually a hiking trail. There was different sections of the road where there was cut outs for people to park. Then Roy got the wheel chair out and Johnny assisted A.J. in getting out of the car. In actuality, he simply kept his hands close, in case she started to fall. She was mobile enough to do just about everything on her own at this point. They walked pushing her down the road, each step bringing them closer to their destination.

She took in the panoramic view; the sky was a brilliant blue and the sun a shimmering red. Then scanning the area she took it all in. Of course the stains of blood were gone, as was the littering of supplies and the corpse of the squad. Her friends and Johnny had feared that she wasn't going to be able to handle the sight of it all. It turned out to be the exact opposite.

She looked up at her protectors; they were just as in awe of it everything as she was. She took their hands in hers and said a prayer. The weight of that day was lifting from her spirit. Both her and Brice made it, all because of their friends, friends who stopped at nothing till they found them.

Johnny was brought to tears once again, only this time he was happy with himself because he kept them from falling. He had spent the last few weeks crying, intermittingly for no reason at all. Somehow he managed to break down when he was alone, or if only Roy was present. He now shared common photographs in his mind with Roy. Ones of her crumpled body, so battered and cold. Followed by her going into cardiac arrest three times, before they even got to Rampart. However he could now understand why she had to return. All of them involved had to cleanse themselves and not allow it to haunt them. That is the difference between victims and survivors, survivors allow their better angels to battle with their lesser demons, never giving up the fight.

"Do you believe in angels?" The question was for both men.

"I always liked the idea of something watching over me and my family, so I guess I do." Roy was wondering where this was coming from.

"Yeah, after so many years in this line of work, it is more comforting to believe that, I think." Johnny had the same questions as Roy.

"Remember the warehouse fire, when we first met?"

"How could either one of us forget that?" That was the first time, something more than friendship had sparked in Gage.

"I thought that was it....I surrendered to it. Then I saw a brilliant light surrounding a woman. She motioned to me, I followed her and that's when I found those rotting floor boards."

Both of them had shocked looks on their faces, as she continued. "In the canyon, after I fell.....I saw her again. This time she showed me where the Bio Phone was...." She felt blessed to be able to open up and share that with them.

Taking in what she had told them, Gage and DeSoto were silent. They felt lightness with themselves, renewing a sense of faith, that they were not alone.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

They arrived at A.J.'s house, with her not having a clue, or at least they thought so. Each one them felt as though they had left some of the dark clouds back on that narrow dirt road.

Her house was a renovated fire house from the 1860's. It had a huge property to it, since the fire company had rented out to the community for picnics and gatherings. The kids had lots of room to run around, still leaving plenty of space for the adults to gather.

Her family was also here to spend some quality time with their daughter and granddaughter. Since they all live outside of California, these kinds of reunions didn't happen as often as they should. Of course it would have been preferable not to have come out for the reason that they did.

As she rounded the corner to the back yard, everyone yelled surprise! A.J. created the look of surprise on her face, either way she was pleased to see all of her friends and some of her family.

It wasn't that she wasn't grateful their gift. Besides, they really worked hard to make it a surprise. Then it occurred to her, her mom must have brought along the 'red' book!

As if on cue, Ruth walks up to them, stopping long enough to kiss her little girl on her check. Then she does the same to Johnny, which makes him blush. He was embarrassed by how much he liked her affection towards him. "Johnny, would you like to see pictures of A.J. when she was a little girl?" She produces the 'red' book in question.

"Awe mom, did you have to do that?" Just what she needed everyone cooing over her baby pictures!" Of course everyone was so intrigued; they had to see the scrapbook for themselves.....oh joy!

She took this time to find her partner, not that it was difficult. He was the only other one in a wheel chair. He had been healing nicely from his injuries, in fact his casts were set to come off in only a couple of weeks.

"Hey Partner, how's it going?" She was clearly happy to see his face, it was the first time they had any time together since the crash.

"I could ask you the same thing. Roy came to see me, he let told me that you were finally out of the coma." With a grin he seldomed showed to anyone but her, he continued. "It's about time you gave up on the whole Diva act! You were really beginning to embarrass yourself." Though he tried to hide it, his eyes told her of his own physical pain and the emotional pain of almost losing his partner.

"Well, that's brave talk for someone who 'confessed' to my boyfriend that he wants my body!" That wasn't even close to what happened that night.

His mouth gaped open, as he stuttered. "I did NOT say that, Oh my GOD, is that what Davidson told Gage?" One look into her eyes,as she batted her eyelashes told him, he had been had. He laughed and swatted her arm.

Feeling good about torturing her own pigeon, she focused back on the crowd.

"Everyone, can I have your attention?" She waits for a few moments. "Look I just wanted to say...thank you. For saving me, being there for my family, everything...."

The rest of the evening was spent with games, eating, drinking and being merry.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

It had been over two months since A.J. and Brice had nearly died. He had already been back to work for a few weeks. She had been told by her station mates that she should hurry up to get back to them. Apparently her replacement was having the same fantasies that she used to have about clocking him upside the head.

She had one of her last scheduled appointments with Dr. Brackett, to see how her hip fracture was progressing. The ribs and sternum had already completely healed. If they had been her only injuries, she would have probably been back to work already.

Sitting in the exam room, she was doing her best to steer her mind and body from thinking about the one activity she hadn't been able to do, at all, since the accident. Oh, how she ached to be with him again. He was quite the gentlemen, never really mentioning it much at all. Every time he held her, it was getting more and more difficult for both of them, to keep their hands to themselves.

The door opened and Kel Brackett walked in. "How's my favorite patient?" The sound of his voice declaring her dead had finally silenced itself from playing in his head none stop.

"So Doc, when can I starting running shifts again?" She ached on a whole different level to go back to work. Laying around being bored out of her skull was not putting her in her 'happy place'.

"Well everything is coming alone wonderfully. I am not concerned with the other fractures, they are completely healed. The hip fracture is doing excellent too; I just want another week or so, just to make absolutely certain that it is operating at 100% capacity. You can start doing your yoga and pilatates exercises, just don't over do it."

He asked her to lie down on the table, so he could do some range motion tests. After two years he knew this young woman pretty well. There was a question on her mind. "Is there something you would like to ask me A.J.?"

"So everything seems to be functioning? I mean, I don't really have any pain now, once and a while it aches a little..." It was stupid to feel so self conscious about what she really wanted to know. It wasn't as if Johnny and she hadn't been dating each other for over a year. Besides, he is a doctor. This would be a question hundreds of patients would have asked over his career, right?

"A.J., you can ask me anything, you know that. Is it something you need to ask a doctor or a friend?"

"This time it would be Dr. B. I need to talk to. Although, if history has told us anything, it would be that sooner than later....I'll have use for the friend side of the equation!!" She finally relaxed; Kel has always been a good friend, not just an excellent doctor.

"So come out with it already!" He had a feeling he knew what she was trying to get at. At this moment he was trying not to smile, he knew she was more than just a little embarrassed.

"OK, OK....since I am walking with out a crutch now, and it's should only be a couple of more weeks till I am back at the station.....do you think it would be alright....if Johnny and I start to play _doctor_ again?" Her grin was contagious.

"I think as long as neither one of you get too creative right away, that should be something you could explore doing." A.J. had always known what Dix saw in this man but now it was evident, if only by his grin and sparklingly eyes that were staring at her.

With a slightly more serious tone he added, "The same rules apply, if it is painful or begins to bother you in any way, at all, you tell me about it ASAP. You're in the home stretch of recovery; you don't want to have anything go wrong now."

"You don't have to even bring it up; I am not going to do anything to mess this up now! I am about at my wits end, doing cross word puzzles!"

She left the exam room to only to see very familiar faces standing next to the nurse's station. "So you two are being your usual selves, standing there slacking, talking Dix's ear off?"

Both men turned around; at first glance Johnny was alarmed to see her walking out away from an exam room. He then remembered her appointment with Brackett.

"Is everything alright?" Over time, most of his fears had been quelled, realizing that there are no absolutes in life. The best any of them could do was to live life with no regrets, telling the ones we care about how we feel, everyday.

"I am almost as perfect as I was two months ago." Attempting not to be real obvious she asks, "Hey Roy, would it be alright if I stole Johnny for just a minute?"

"I think that can be arranged. Junior, do you mind getting our supplies?" He was more than OK with doing whatever he could to make both of his friends happy. There was still and probably always would be the extra boost of joy at just seeing her alive and whole again.

"Sure Roy, but only because you asked nicely!" The infamous Gage grin had returned.

They both stood in the supply closet gathering the supplies that were needed. Out of no where she reached down and groped his ever firm butt. He nearly dropped everything he had already gathered. "Baby, what are you doing?" Not that he didn't _know_ what she was doing, just that she was never this forward in public. Now in private, that was an entire other story.

"That's just a sample of what you have coming....Doc says that if we don't get too creative right away....we can let our fingers do the walking...."

"Are you sure...I...I mean....I don't want to hurt you or mess up your recovery..." He wanted to consume her in the worst way but he would never forgive himself if he did anything to hurt her, not ever.

"No worries, everything is healed and working just fine." He removed the box of supplies from his hands and placed it on a shelf. She pulled him towards her, leaned in and gave him a kiss with such passion, the hair on the back of his neck stood up and saluted. Her hands drifted down and she smacked him on the ass.

He looked into her eyes, "Tease! No fair, now what am I going to do for the next 12hours?"

"Suffer, my darling....suffer." With that she left the closet, leaving him standing there in a daze of desire.

Roy looked quite confused when Wolfie strolled by alone, clapping Roy on the shoulder with a shitty grin. "See ya later Roy...Dix..."

Minutes later Gage emerged from the supply closet, carrying the box of supplies. "Is everything alright, Johnny?"

Glancing at Dixie then back to his partner he replies, "Can we just get going Roy.....I mean after all Marco is cooking..." What confused Roy even more was the unusual grimace that was on Gage's face.

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The shift seemed to last forever. Once they got back to the station Johnny was so quiet yet his energy level was through the roof. Roy was still mystified. He wasn't worried, exactly just wondering what on earth had gotten into his best friend. As they were changing into their civilian clothes, he finally asked him what was going on. The locker room had cleared out, except for Roy and Johnny. Roy had purposefully waited so that it would be timed out that way.

"Johnny what is up with you? Since we left Rampart, you've been bouncing from about jumping out of your skin with energy and down to looking like you're giving yourself a headache, thinking too hard about something."

Gage just stared at his partner for a few moments, "Does he really want to know?" He knew the answer to his own question, besides he could really use him to bounce his thoughts off of. "Can we talk out by the cars?" He really didn't want the B-Shift to over hear the conversation.

They both walked outside and Roy awaited what he had to say. This wasn't anything bad, at least he didn't believe so. He had seen this man stretched to his limitations in these last two months.

"Uh Roy, can I ask you something? Am I crazy?" The expression on Roy's face made him smile. "I know, I know, that's a loaded question!!"

"Partner, what has got you so confused?"

"OK, she told me today that well, Brackett said we could start to.....well you know. It's been over 2 months, Roy." His eyes were shifted to the ground.

Suddenly it occurred to him, what the exchange must have been in the supply closet! "Now I am confused, that is a _good thing_, right?" He couldn't imagine not being close to Joanne in that way, for such a long period of time.

"Of course it is....it's just.....I'm afraid. What if I accidentally do something to hurt her.....maybe it's too soon." His eyes were still shifting, trying to avoid looking at Roy.

It all made sense now, Johnny had come so close to losing her and had seen her at her most fragile, broken state. "Johnny, she wouldn't do anything to endanger her recovery. Besides, Brackett wouldn't have given to OK, if there was any chance of anything bad happening." A smile now came to his own face. "You did nothing to _break_ her then, and you won't now, she's not exactly a China doll, in case you haven't noticed."

Releasing a huge sigh, he finally looked his friend in the eye. "Thanks Roy! You're right…I do feel better." A gigantic smile spread across his face. "Well it that case....I'm outta here!"

_**Thanks for reading an commenting on my little story. Please let more reviews and if you would like to read more stories with A.J./Wolfie in them, I have plenty ideas in mind.**_

_**Myself and my researcher M.W. did our best to get the medical and and Native American details and ideals correct. If there is something that is incorrect or not clear in anyway, please let me know.**_

_**I will have an additional non published edition to this chapter as well. Message me if you would care to read it.  
**_

_**Thanks again.  
**_


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